Forgotten Blood
by FlamingSky
Summary: When a pack of hellhounds attack Jump City, the Titans make an important discovery - They're all half-bloods. Now, with a war between the gods brewing and the line between good and evil growing thin, will the Titans be able to complete their quest? BBxRae
1. Another Sunday

_A/N : Hello earthlings! So this is a crossover between Teen Titans and Percy J. & The Olympians(obviously). XD I know it sounds kinda weird but it's gonna be great, I promise! So get reading!_

**Chapter 1 : Another Sunday**

Beast boy leaned back on the couch, letting out a deep sigh. It was just any other Sunday in the Titan tower, which basically meant there was nothing to do. Cyborg was in the kitchen, making what sounded like the biggest lunch in the history of mankind while Raven was reading at the table. Robin and Starfire were no where to be found, but Beast Boy would have bet his entire CD collection that they were together. Meanwhile the green titan let out another sigh, letting his complete boredom seep into the sound.

"Dude, this is unbelievable! There is _nothing_ on!" The shape shifter complained flipping through the TV channels.

Cyborg looked up from his meal, his mouth stuffed with food. "We have over a thousand channels, B. _Something_ has to be on."

Beast Boy mumbled something about a stupid, out-of-date half-robot before continuing his search.

The afternoon dragged on and just as Beast Boy thought he would die from boredom, he heard the wonderful sound of the Titan alarm signaling trouble.

"Yes!" Beast Boy jumped off the couch in excitement. "Trouble!"

Raven lifted an eyebrow at her green comrade while Cyborg contacted Robin. "And an attack on the city makes you happy because…?"

"Anything is better than sitting here watching you read," Beast Boy retorted, giving Raven his biggest grin. The other titan simply rolled her eyes before turning away.

Cyborg looked towards his friends, concern flooding his features. "Robin wants us to meet him downtown."

"Wait, how does Robin know where the trouble is?" Beast Boy asked, a bad feeling forming in the pit of his stomach.

The mechanical titan glanced at his friends with a worried expression before facing the door. "Because Robin and Star are the ones being attacked."

* * *

Downtown Jump City resembled something close to a war zone when the three teens finally arrived. Abandoned cars sat dented and smoking at the sides of the roads, their passengers having fled them to escape the chaos. The sidewalks were covered in glass from broken store windows and screams echoed through the streets like a horrible nightmare.

Cyborg looked down at the destruction from the claws of his green, pterodactyl friend while Raven floated along beside them on a disc of black energy. The friends flew along, each caught in steely silence of worry. The tension grew as the sounds of battle grew closer and closer. Shouts, crashes, and strangest of all, a deep barking sound unfamiliar to all, even the animal shape shifter of the group. Not knowing what to expect, they each held their breath as they rounded the final bend in the road.

"Look out!" Robin screeched, just as a shape formed from the shadows. The three titans froze, while their brains tried to process what stood before them.

In front of the teens stood a dog so big it made Beast Boy's wolf look like a newborn puppy. It's long black hair was knotted and tangled and dried blood stained it in patches. Its long claws were covered in pieces of ripped fabric as they tightened, leaving cracks in the warm absalt. But none of the titans were looking at that. Their gaze was captured by the dogs sharp canines and the froth that was spilling out of its mouth. And above its gaping maw, they were staring at its beady red eyes, intent on its prey and its kill.

Meanwhile Robin and Star were fighting for their lives, for they were locked in battle with four more of the devilish dogs. Starfire let out a loud battle cry before sending a wave of star bolts down on the pack. A few yelped in pain but otherwise seem unaffected by the attack and one swiped a massive paw at the flying alien, sending her crashing into a building. Robin wished to help but he was having problems of his own. One of the dogs had grabbed hold of the Boy Wonder's arm and it's razor sharp teeth were tearing into his flesh, refusing to release him. He screamed in agony but managed to send a few sharp kicks at the beast's ribs, forcing it to back off.

At the arrival of the three teens, two more of the dogs broke off from the fight to confront the new threats. Seeing his chance, Robin jumped on the nearest dog to shout orders to his comrades.

"One for each of us team! Titans go!"

The team immediately jumped into action. Beast Boy quickly took the form of a T-Rex, the only creature he could think of that was larger than the beasts. Letting loose a vicious roar, the changeling charged, ramming into his target with his massive head. The dog released a screeching whine as it slammed into an already destroyed car. In the same instant Cyborg and Raven attacked their own dogs, Cyborg wielding his sonic cannon while Raven used her dark magic to pummel the side of her enemy. Both attacks should have gravely injured the dogs, but they merely flinched before continuing in their advance.

Starfire pulled herself from the rubble, more irritated than hurt. Her eyes were immediately drawn to Robin who was now attempting to battle two of the dogs in an attempt to keep them away from his alien friend. As he hit one of the beast hard in its snout, the other snuck up behind him, unseen by the Boy Wonder. With one swift motion, the dog picked up Robin in his massive maw, apparently swallowing him whole.

"Robin!" Starfire screeched, her heart broken voice echoing through the street causing the closest titans and dogs alike to freeze in their tracks.

In gorilla form, with his muscular arm wrapped tightly around his dog's neck, Beast Boy looked over, his eyes growing wide in shock.

Starfire's pain quickly faded to anger as she glared at the evil canine. But as she prepared to attack, a strange look appeared on the dog's face. Its eyes widened while its cheeks expanded, looking very much like Beast Boy after eating too much tofu. A horrible gagging sound began, followed by a very slimy, stunned, yet unharmed Robin emerging from the dogs mouth. Beast Boy's look of concern immediately changed to one of pure amusement as he switched back to human form.

"Maybe bird boy wasn't on the menu!" The shape shifter blurted before being overcome by a helpless fit of laughter.

Robin glared over at the changeling but even Starfire let out a small giggle before leaping back into the fight.

Cyborg and Raven, having missed the drama, were still locked in combat and getting no where. Hundreds of punches from Cyborg and dozens of cars in the face by Raven were useless against the dogs and the two titans were quickly tiring out.

"Titans fall back!" Robin shouted out, making a quick decision. Fighting wasn't working and most of the teens were either wounded or exhausted. They needed to regroup if they were going to have a chance of stopping the attack.

Beast Boy gave the dog he was battle one final shove, before preparing to retreat, when a flash of orange appeared at the edge of his vision. Instinctively, the green teen whipped around, ready to face another threat. He froze in his tracks while his emerald eyes widened, not believing what he saw.

At first glance it appeared to be just any other teen ruffling through his backpack. His hair was light brown and unbelievably curly while his eyes were a piercing blue. He wore a normal orange t-shirt that read "Camp Half-Blood" but otherwise had no importance to Beast Boy. But the shape shifter's eyes picked up other details. From the bag the teen was pulling out weapons. Arrows, spears, and shields alike, all lay around the boy's feet. And of course there was the thing that had caused such a reaction from Beast Boy to begin with.

From the waist down, the teen had cloven-hoofed, very hairy goat legs.

"That's it," Beast Boy retorted, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. "I've finally gone crazy."

At the sound of Beast Boy's voice, the half-goat looked up, his eyes clouded with fear. With a glance at his bag, he pulled out what he must have been looking for the whole time. A long, razor sharp sword that gleamed in the sunlight. Beast Boy crouched down, ready for the teen to attack.

"Beast Boy, look out!" The goat boy shouted, surprising the changeling by tossing him the sword. Beast Boy automatically caught the blade before spinning around, stumbling under the unfamiliar weight. With a large gulp the green titan watched as one of the devil dogs charged towards him, revealing its teeth in a snarl.

When the beast was almost on top of him, Beast Boy made his move. With superb agility, the changeling dove under the massive dog, stabbing up with the sword without thinking. As he felt it lodge in the hound's underside, Beast Boy rolled away readying himself for another attack. The green titan's preparation wasn't needed. As soon as the sword had made contact the dog had begun to howl in pain and moments later it exploded in a shower of sand.

Stunned, Beast Boy walked over and picked up the blade. Running his hand over it's smooth surface, he was surprised to find it free of blood. It appeared to be made of a strange metal, somewhere between steel and bronze. Looking over at the sidewalk, he noticed that the other weapons were made of the same material. A thought blossomed in Beast Boy's head and he immediately took action.

"Raven!" He shouted across the street, watching as his cloaked companion put up a dark shield of energy between herself and a dog. When he got her attention, Beast Boy motioned towards the arrows and back at the dogs, hoping the dark titan would understand. Raven raised an eyebrow at the changeling but she did as he asked.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" The empath chanted, floating in the air with her legs crossed and focusing her powers on the arrows. Each weapon was wrapped in energy and lifted into the air, their sharp points pointing towards the four remaining hounds. All at once, the army of arrows flew towards the dogs, each one hitting its target. Upon impact, the demon-like beasts were killed, just like the first, collapsing in a pile of sand.

Raven landed next to Beast Boy just as the other titans came running up. The two stared at the dunes of sand, not sure what to think.

"Beast Boy, Raven! What happened to the dogs?" Robin demanded as he glanced down the street.

Beast Boy merely pointed at the sand, unsure if he could find his voice. Robin glanced down his eyes widening in shock. Starfire let out a small gasp of surprise as she too understood.

"No way," Cyborg mumbled.

"How?" Robin asked as he ran his hand through the sand.

Beast Boy lifted the sword he still had clutched in his hand, trying to put together all the questions swirling through his head. "I think it has to do with this metal. It was the only thing that stopped them."

Cyborg examined the blade closely, his human eye squinting as he thought. "I've never seen this type of material before. What is it?"

"It's celestial bronze," a voice broke in, causing all the titans to yelp and jump in alarm. The team whirled around to see the strange goat boy standing close behind them with his hands held up as a sign of truce. He gave the teens a small half smile but his eyes still held a little of their fear.

"Who are you?" Robin wondered aloud, rising from his defensive stance.

"Owen. My names Owen," the boy replied, obviously relieved that the conversation had taken a less violent turn.

"_What _are you?" Beast Boy questioned, earning himself a stomp on the foot courtesy of Raven. "Ow! What?"

"Don't be rude!" The empath snapped under her breath.

"I'm a satyr," Owen replied, ignoring the two titans' bickering.

"What did you say it was called? Some type of bronze?" Robin asked, getting straight to the point as usual.

"Celestial bronze," Owen corrected, picking up a spear of the ground. "The only material that kills monsters."

Beast Boy let out a snort. "Monsters? Please."

Owen's head snapped up, his eyes glowing a dangerous blue. "You can turn into any animal right? One of your friends is half demon, another half alien. Are monsters in the world so hard to believe?"

Beast Boy opened his mouth to protest but Starfire quickly cut in, speaking for the first time.

"Excuse me. But you spoke of me being half alien yes? I believe you are mistaken. I am fully Tamaranian."

Owen's sharp gaze turned to one of uncertainty. He closed his eyes, placing his hand over his face while shaking his head slowly. "I'm going about this all wrong. I've found five powerful half-bloods and I'm messing it up." The goat boy muttered to himself.

"Half-bloods?" Beast Boy exclaimed, picking up Owen's words with his sharp ears.

"Yes," Owen sighed looking up at the group. "You are all half-bloods, which means you each have a parent who is a god. A Greek god to be specific."

The titans stared at the strange satyr for a moment before they all started to shout at once.

"You're insane!"

"Greek gods aren't real!"

"My dad wasn't a god!"

"You can't be serious!"

"Enough!" Raven shouted, her anger causing a car down the street to explode with energy. The friends were immediately silent, confused by her outburst.

"Let's see what he has to say," Raven explained, her voice lowered a few octaves. She fixed her gaze on Owen who was standing frozen in fear. "Explain."

The shaken satyr took a deep breath before starting his tale. "The Greek gods are indeed very real. Sometimes they will have children with mortals and in strange cases demons and aliens as with you two," Owen began, motioning towards Raven and Starfire. "The child is raised by their mortal parent, whether it's their father or mother. Monsters are always hunting half-bloods, like those hellhounds you just encountered. Us satyrs are sent out to bring them back to Camp Half-Blood, a place where demigods train to protect themselves." Owen stopped abruptly and stared at the titans, praying to the gods that they would believe him.

Beast Boy was the first to speak, his voice shaking with emotion as he clenched his hands into fists. "You're a liar. My dad was a scientist, not some immortal god!"

Before Owen could reply, Starfire let out a shocked gasp.

"Beast Boy!" the alien exclaimed, pointing above the changeling's head. Owen and the other titans responded instantly, their eyes drawn to the space above Beast Boy. Gasps filled the air as the green teen slowly looked up.

Floating in the air was a small globe of gas, swirling in hues of orange and red, like a miniture sun. It's tiny rays of light shown down on Beast Boy, leaving the rest of the group in shadow. A few moments of awe rested over the street, as the sun slowly faded away.

"What the hell was that?" Cyborg whispered, breaking the silence. Beast Boy simple stared at the space above him, an aching feeling forming in his chest, missing the warmth of his own personal sun.

"A sign," Owen muttered. "A sign from the gods. That was the symbol of the sun god." The satyr looked at Beast Boy, a slight bow in the incline of his head. "Beast Boy is the son of Apollo."

_A/N : I hope you enjoyed it, and please read and review! I should update fairly quick because I'm so excited about this story. Anyway, as a last thought I would like to thank my good friend __Autumnchronicles__ for all her awesome help and support. I couldn't have done it without you! Well until next time._

_- FlamingSky_


	2. Discoveries

_A/N : Well I think this was a fairly quick update (for me at least). =) I had a few brain blocks while working on this chapter but I think it turned out pretty good. Well enjoy!_

**Chapter 2 : Discoveries**

The titans sat in silence on their couch, except for Beast Boy who stood at the window, staring off across the water. The trip back from the battle had been uncomfortable to say the least, and no one had said a single word since Beast Boy was named Apollo's son. Owen shuffled his hooves anxiously, unsure how to proceed. Usually he would just bring the half-blood, or in this case _half-bloods_, back to camp for training. But of course this was _not_ a usual assignment. These were the Teen Titans. They weren't some helpless group that had no clue how to defend themselves. But they also knew nothing about the monsters that would surely find them now that they were aware of their godly parents.

"Robin," Starfire whispered, not wanting to break the intense silence that had settled around her friends. "I believe I am…. confused."

The Boy Wonder wiped a gloved hand over his face, not bothering to hide his exhaustion. "You're not the only one Star."

"But I do not understand. What are 'Greek gods'?" Starfire's brow scrunched up as she tried to make sense of what was happening.

"Well Star, gods are immortal…. beings that…. uh… well they control different parts of the world. Like Apollo is in charge of the sun. Does that make sense?"

Starfire's face brightened slightly. "Oh yes, Robin I think I have been 'enlightened'."

Beast Boy's muscles tightened as he listened to his friends talk behind him. He wanted to scream. He wanted to yell at them, he wanted to smash something, and he wanted to let out the growl he felt building in his throat. But he wasn't mad at them. Not really. He was mad at this day. The day he had learned that everything he thought he knew about himself was a lie. The day that his entire world had been flipped upside down. The day he was told that the man he had grown to love, the man that he had cried for, the man that had died as Beast Boy's dad, was not his father.

"So what happens now?" Cyborg asked, finally breaking the awful suspense that had been building in the room.

Owen opened his mouth to reply but Beast Boy cut him off, spinning around in a storm of fury.

"What happens now?" Beast Boy's voice was low but it surged with anger as the changeling pointed a finger at the shaking satyr. "_He_ goes back to wherever the hell he came from and _we_ pretend this never happened."

Cyborg looked at his best friend with sympathy, knowing more than anyone else why the green titan was so upset. "Calm down B. We'll figure this out."

"Calm down? Cy how would you feel if you found out your dad was the god of…" Beast Boy stopped abruptly as his eyes widened in fear.

The other titans, seeing the change in the shape shifter's attitude, followed his gaze to Cyborg who sat staring at the others with a puzzled expression on his face. Immediately the rest of the team leapt of the couch, shrieking as they tried to get away from Cyborg.

"Guys what's going…" Confused, the half-robot looked down at himself before letting out a yelp of his own.

Cyborg was on fire. Instead of the blue gears and other mechanical parts that could usually be seen, flames flickered up his arms and legs. The fire seemed to burn inside and out, red and orange consuming every part of his robot half.

"Aaaah!" Cyborg yelled, standing up while frantically swatting at the fire. "Put it out, put it out!"

"Wait!" Owen yelled, stopping Beast Boy from dumping a full bucket of water all over the flaming titan. "It's just another sign! Look! He's fine!"

Sure enough, the fire was slowly dimming and, within moments, Cyborg was back to his normal self, unharmed and unscathed.

"What..the..hell..was..that?" Cyborg panted, clearly shaken by his near death experience.

"Your godly parent has claimed you. You're the son of Hephaestus, god of fire and the forge," Owen answered calmly, the only one who appeared unfazed by the incident.

"And he couldn't just, I don't know, _tell me_?" Cyborg exclaimed. "He had to go and _set me on fire_?"

Owen shrugged. "The gods have their own way of doing things."

"Excuse me, friend Owen," Starfire interrupted, holding up her finger. "Must we all be lit with the fire to discover our parents?"

Owen's mouth quirked up at the corner in a small grin. "I'm afraid not Starfire. Each god has different… methods when it comes to claiming their children."

The alien's face fell slightly. "Oh… well I wish my parent would…" Starfire's voice faded out as she glanced down at her closed hands in confusion. Slowly, hers fists folded open to reveal a strange pink glow. A shape rose from the alien's upturned palms, forming into the form of a heart. The heart shown brightly for a moment before exploding into a pile of pink glitter.

Raven snorted. "Well you don't have to be a genius to figure that one out."

The other titans turned to the dark teen, questioning looks on their faces.

"Well isn't it obvious? A heart?" When no one replied, Raven sighed. "She's the daughter of Aphrodite, goddess of love."

Starfire clapped her hands together in excitement. "So I have received 'the sign'?"

Owen nodded. "It would appear so. Well that's three down only two to…"

"One," Raven blurted randomly in her normal monotone.

The group looked at her again, eyebrows raised.

"Umm well my parent claimed me… mentally," Raven said slowly, unsure how to explain the vision she'd just had flash through her mind.

When the room remained silent, Beast Boy spoke up. "Well? Who is it?"

Raven looked down at the floor, embarrassed by the attention. "Athena, goddess of wisdom."

"Well that figures," Beast Boy grumbled, earning himself a glare from Raven.

"Fantastic!" Owen stated. "So Robin is the only one who hasn't been claimed."

Starfire stepped up next to her boyfriend, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Do not worry Robin. I am sure you will receive your sign very soon."

Beast Boy opened his mouth to make a sarcastic comment when the titan alarm started blaring, causing Owen to make a very goat-like leap into the air.

"Oh great was that a sign too? Is there some god of alarms?" Beast Boy exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

"No man, that was the alarm signaling that someone's broken into the tower!" Cyborg replied while frantically typing on the computer that popped out of his arm. "And they're almost to the common room."

"Titans move!" Robin ordered, instantly snapping into action. The team set up a defensive line in front of Owen while still facing the door. Beast Boy and Robin crouched down, prepared to attack whatever creature made its way into the room. The other three titans readied themselves by arming their star bolts and cannons alike.

Raven closed her eyes, trying to focus her powers on whatever lay in wait down the hall. Her mind probed its way into the figure that was making its way towards the common room with slow steady steps. Pictures flashed through her head like a slideshow on overdrive. Smoke. Green eyes. Death. Trapped.

Raven snapped back into her own head, gasping in shock. Beast Boy looked over at her in concern but she shook her head at her friend's questioning eyes. There was no way to describe the horrific images that were still floating behind her eyelids. Besides, there was no time. Whatever was outside was now coming in. The metal door slid open with a hiss, revealing the creature they'd been waiting for.

Gasps filled the room, followed by Owen's shaky whisper.

"No!"

A mummy stood in the doorway. Not the kind from Egypt that were all wrapped in cloth, but basically what they would look like if they _didn't_ have cloth. Her skin was completely shriveled and grey, appearing to have been dead for centuries at least. She had long black hair that drifted out behind her as she walked, the dark waves being the only part of the mummy that looked somewhat alive. Even her sundress and beads were old and faded. The mummy continued walking until she came to a stop in front of Beast Boy, causing the changeling's eyes to widen in fear.

Cyborg had his cannon fixed on the mummy and was preparing to fire when Owen let out a screech.

"What are you doing? Don't shoot!" Cyborg had never heard such panic in the satyr's voice as Owen pushed Cyborg's arm away, stepping between the mechanical titan and the mummy.

"Umm what is it?" Beast Boy asked nervously, never taking his eyes off of the creature in front of him. The mummy stood completely still while staring at the green teen with strange glass eyes.

"How did she possibly get here?" Owen muttered to himself before answering Beast Boy's question. "It's the Oracle of Delphi, teller of prophecies."

"And she's staring at me like that because?"

"Her next prophecy must be for you," Owen breathed, taking a step back.

Suddenly the mummy's mouth snapped open, revealing gnarled, crooked teeth. A green smoke emerged from the mouth and spilled down onto the floor, wrapping his thick tendrils around the titans' legs. Soon the room was filled with the strange green smog.

A voice echoed inside Beast Boy's head and he knew immediately that it was the Oracle's. It reminded him of rusty chains and death.

"_I am the spirit of Delphi. Come forward, seeker, and ask your question_."

Beast Boy was unaware of the others in the room. All he saw was the mummy before him and its strange, marble eyes.

"What happens next?" The changeling's voice was only a whisper but it seemed to consume the room like an echo.

The smoke thickened as the Oracle began to speak, and the entire room held it's breath.

"_Titan and Godling blood shall go,_

_Across the land of tales and woe._

_To find the Truth that must be told,_

_On the great lakes it will unfold._

_The largest island Truth shall stay,_

_Where a vengeful god stalks his prey."_

The entire room stood completely still, caught in a trance created by the Oracle's voice. They each knew there was one more line to come as they could feel it in the pits of their stomachs. But no one could guess the horror it would bring.

"_And now the green one's true love waits,_" the Oracle paused, almost as if it wanted to build the suspense. Everyone's eyes were drawn to Beast Boy, who's eyes were widened beyond belief and who's face was flushed a light green. The changeling's eyes didn't leave the mummy's face for a moment as he hung on every word.

"_Before meeting the worst of fates,_" As the prophecy came to an end, the smoke slowly retreated from the room, returning to the still open mouth of the Oracle. When the last wisp had disappeared, the mummy's gaping jaw slowly closed. A moment later, the Oracle lowered itself to the floor before remaining completely still, as if it would never move again.

Silence followed but the Oracle's words still echoed around the room, vibrating inside Beast Boy's head. The changeling blinked his eyes rapidly as he tried to clear the image of the Oracle from his mind. But no matter how hard he tried, the prophecy filled his every thought.

"You've been given a quest," Owen said quietly, trying to look on the positive side. The titans ignored him.

Raven walked up next to Beast Boy, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sure it will be…" the empath's words faded out as the changeling turned away from his friends. He slowly walked towards the windows, each step taking an eternity in the green teen's mind. Finally he reached the spot he had stood before. Before the signs, before the Oracle, before the horrible prophecy that now haunted his head. And then he just stood, staring out at the smooth water and the slowly setting sun, as if none of it had ever happened. He wished with all his heart that none of it had ever happened.

_A/N : Awww. =( I felt really for BB when I was writing but it had to be done. I hope you liked it! I'm actually pretty proud of my prophecy so no flames! XD Anyway, review if you dare haha. _

_- FlamingSky_


	3. Breaking News

_A/N : Heeeeey! =) Sorry for the long update, this chapter was kinda difficult to get through because there's a lot of important stuff I had to throw in there. But before you read, I'd like to explain a few things. Well first off, in case you were wondering, this story takes place AFTER Tokyo but BEFORE the Percy Jackson books. XD Kinda confusing, I know, but I think you can get it. Also I'd like to discuss a certain titan. I think you all should know that I don't like Robin. At all. In fact, I pretty much hate him. You can ask my friends, they know. Because of my hatred towards Robin, I tend to be a little… mean to him when I'm writing. Like when I made a hellhound swallow him in the first chapter. =P I've tried to keep it to a minimum for all you Robin fans out there but no promises. XD Anyway, enjoy! _

**Chapter 3 : Breaking News**

"But Chiron, how did the Oracle get here? Camp Half-Blood is on the other side of the country!" Owen exclaimed quietly. The satyr had been on the phone with Camp Half-Blood's activity director for over half an hour, filling him in on all the had happened. Meanwhile, four of the titans sat at the kitchen table, listening to Owen's half of the conversation with interest. Beast Boy paced anxiously by the door, using his sharp ears to listen to both sides of the phone call.

"I don't know Owen. She left the big house early this morning but we lost sight of her in the woods," Chiron's voice was muffled by Owen's ear but the changeling could still catch the confusion in his tone. "Perhaps the gods are at work."

"They're not allowed to intervene, you know that."

"I also know that the gods don't always follow their own rules," Chiron muttered.

Owen sighed, brushing a hand through his curly hair. "So what should I do? Come back to camp?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Chiron's calm reply. "My boy, I think you know what you must do."

"I think… I think I need to go with them. They may be titans but these monsters aren't the same as they're use to."

Beast Boy's steps faltered at the satyr's words but he remained silent.

"If that's what you want, Owen. But be cautious. The prophecy said _Titan and Godling _blood would go. You are neither and that should not be taken lightly."

"I understand Chiron, but it's what I have to do."

"Very well, then I wish you and the titans good luck and a safe return."

After the two said their goodbyes, Owen laid the phone down on the counter lightly, the small sound managing to shatter the silence.

"So must we begin the packing?" Starfire looked at her friend's questioningly with a small glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Owen nodded slightly. "Well we should probably leave tomorrow but first…"

"We're not going."

The group looked up at Beast Boy who stood on the steps above them with his arms crossed tightly across his chest. His emerald eyes looked down at them, managing to be cold and sad all at once.

"BB, seems to me like we _have_ to go," Cyborg responded quietly.

"No we don't. What we _have _to do is stay here and protect Jump City."

"Beast Boy," Raven spoke up, trying to keep her voice both stern and comforting. "We can't just ignore the prophecy. Trust me, I know."

The changeling's eyes flickered towards Raven's but after a moment he looked away, focusing on his other friends. "So what happens to the city? We just leave it unprotected?"

Surprisingly Robin was the one who came to Beast Boy's defense. "I have to agree with Beast Boy. With Slade back, we can't just leave the city defenseless."

Owen's blue eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, your actually considering _not_ going? But you have to! You were given the quest for a reason and trying to ignore it could be disastrous for you _and_ your city."

The friends stared at each other for a moment, each trying to think of away to convince one another, when an unfamiliar voice spoke from behind them. "Sadly, I must agree with the young satyr. Prophecies should not be forgotten."

The titans spun around in alarm to see a strange guy leaning against their couch.

The man was lean and muscular, wearing black running shorts and a t-shirt with a picture of the Empire State building on the front. He had short black hair with specks of silver and a mischievous grin plastered on his face, like he had pulled a prank and gotten away with it. On his feet were a pair of converse with little, white wings sprouting out of the heels. They fluttered restlessly, ready to take off at a moments notice.

"Does anyone else see a random dude in our living room?" Beast Boy asked hesitantly, peaking out from behind Cyborg.

"L-lord Hermes!" Owen stuttered while his hooves shuffled anxiously across the floor.

"That's my name," Hermes replied, ignoring the satyr's nervousness.

Raven leaned towards Beast Boy, who still appeared confused, and whispered in his direction. "He's the god of messengers and thieves."

"W-what can we do for you?" Owen asked.

Before the god could reply, a female voice spoke up from the depths of Hermes' pocket.

"_Ares is on line one. He says it's important," _the voice hissed quietly like it didn't want to interrupt.

Hermes sighed before pulling a phone out of his pocket. "Excuse me for a moment, I need to take this." With once swift movement, the god pulled out the phone's antenna, revealing two small green snakes that writhed and curled around the tiny pole.

"Hello? Yes… okay. I have twelve more deliveries before yours. Yes, I realize it's important you get your new sword on time… No Ares, I'm not being sarcastic… oh don't threaten me, your just taking up my time. Uh huh… okay will do. Bye." Hermes rolled his eyes as he snapped the phone shut. "Now where were we?"

The titans stared in shock at the snakes, unsure what to say. Finally Beast Boy spoke up, "Uh dude? You know you have snakes on your phone?"

"What? Oh, that's just George and Martha. Say hi you two."

"_Hi there," _The female voice hissed again.

"_I want a rat," _George complained with a moan.

"_George you are so rude," _Martha scolded.

"_What? I'm hungry! And you know… that one can turn into a rat," _George replied, motioning with his head towards Beast Boy.

"_George! We do not eat friends!" _The female snake exclaimed. Beast Boy swallowed hard, taking a small step backwards while Cyborg and Robin burst out laughing.

"Would you two stop bickering?" Hermes snapped, glaring down at the vipers. "I _do_ have a message to deliver."

"What is it?" Robin asked, quickly taking charge.

The god ignored the Boy Wonder for a moment as he scrolled through memos in his phone.

"Ah! Here it is. Which one of you ladies is Raven?" Hermes asked before looking over at the two female titans.

"That would be me," Raven raised her hand in the air.

"Then this is for you," The god pulled a large envelope out of a satchel that had mysteriously appeared on his shoulder. Raven took the letter hesitantly, before ripping it open with the side of her finger. She opened the paper inside while the rest of the group watched intently. After a few moments of reading, the dark titan's pale face grew paler and her eyes widened slightly.

"Who's it from?" Beast Boy spoke up softly.

"It's from my mom… Athena," Raven's voice was choked as she folded the paper back up.

"What does it say friend Raven?" Starfire asked with concern.

"I-it's not important," the always composed titan stuttered. She turned to Hermes while trying her best to put on a straight face. "My mother mentioned another part of the message."

"Ah yes, Athena would like me to update all of you about what's going on in Olympus. She thinks it will effect your decision on whether or not to go on your que…"

"Wait, wait, wait." Beast Boy interrupted while Owen shot him a 'shut up' look. "Olympus? Like… Mount Olympus? The place in Greece?"

Hermes' mouth quirked up in the corner as he answered. "Well, yes Olympus was originally in Greece but it is now located in New York City above the empire state building."

"Uh... why?"

Hermes sighed. "You must understand that Olympus moves with Western civilization. When it was in Greece, then Olympus was in Greece. Now it has moved on to the United States."

Starfire was completely lost while Beast Boy still appeared confused. Raven rolled her eyes. "We'll be waiting forever for Beast Boy to get it. Just move on please."

"Anyway, recently there has been a... misunderstanding in Olympus that has the gods a little worked up," Hermes continued.

Owen chewed on a tin can nervously. "What's happened?"

"Alathea, the spirit of truth, has been... how do I put this... well she's been... uh... kidnapped."

The titans were unsure what to think of the situation, but Owen's reaction showed that it was serious. "What? How? By who?"

"You see that's where the misunderstanding comes in. We're not sure exactly who did the kidnapping. Evidence was found against Ares but also Demeter and Hera. Of course they all deny it but now the gods are taking sides. No one knows what to think."

"B-but gods can't kidnap other gods or spirits!" Owen blurted as he tried to make sense of the current mess.

Hermes sighed again, running his hand through his messy hair. "Yes, but it would be only too easy to persuade someone else to kidnap her for them."

"Wait!" Raven started as a thought occurred to her. "You said this Alathea was the spirit of _truth_ right?"

"That's correct."

"The prophecy! The third line was '_To find the Truth that must be told'. _It's truth with a capital T! Our quest is to find Alathea," Raven explained.

Hermes' eyes grew large in disbelief. It was obvious that he wasn't surprised very often. "Your right... how did I not see it before? This confirms it. You _must_ go on your quest. It might be the only thing that stops another world war."

"What do the world wars have to do with anything?" Robin questioned.

"Well the world wars were the result of other disagreements between the gods, you see. Not pretty," as he spoke, the god turned to look at the Boy Wonder thoughtfully. "Do I know you?"

"Umm... no?"

"Robin, right?" Hermes asked as he once again scrolled through notes in his phone.

"Yes," It was clear by his tone that the leader was completely baffled.

"Aha!" The god muttered as he found what he was looking for. His small smile turned to a sheepish grin as he looked up at Robin. "I know why you appear familiar, my boy. Umm... Robin..."

"What?"

"I...it would seem...I'm your father."

The Boy Wonder, along with the rest of the group, froze. Silence followed before Hermes started speaking again.

"I must apologize, I intended to claim you earlier but being messenger of the gods... it tends to get very busy. Things get backed up, I forget..."

"_Forget to feed the snakes," _George's mutter interrupted.

The god glared down at the snake before shoving his phone back into his pocket.

"_Good going George," _Martha's muffled voice scolded.

"_What? It's not my fault I'm always hungry!"_

Robin stood unmoving with his jaw hanging open, unsure how to react. Was he happy? Upset? He felt only shock.

"Yes, well I really must get back to work. I wish you all good luck with your quest...uhh... goodbye," the god spoke quickly, eager to get away from the awkward atmosphere. As soon as he finished speaking, the god's body began to glow with a gold light. Owen barely had time to screech, "Look away!" before Hermes took his true form. When the friends uncovered their eyes, the god was gone.

"Umm... that was... informative," Beast Boy spoke up after a moment.

"So what do we do now?" Cyborg wondered aloud, looking at friends.

Owen rolled his eyes. "You go on your quest, of course!"

Starfire looked towards her boyfriend who still stood staring at the place where Hermes had stood. "Robin?"

The Boy Wonder shook his head, as if waking from a dream, and turned to join his friends. "Owen's right. We have to go. Preventing a war is more important than anything we could do here."

Three of the titans nodded in agreement while Beast Boy remained silent. Although he knew that going on the quest was the right thing to do, that didn't mean he had to like it.

"So when should we leave?" Robin questioned Owen, who had the most experience when it came to quests.

"Tomorrow morning should be long enough for us to get ready. We're gonna need weapons, food, fresh clothes, maps..." The satyr trailed off. "Wait. How do we even know where to go?"

"The prophecy answers that too," Raven replied. "'_On the great lakes it will unfold'. _That one's pretty straight forward."

"Alright team we know where we're going and what our goal is. Now we just need to get packed and get rested," Robin commanded. "Owen, do you think you can help us incorporate celestial bronze into our different fighting styles?"

The satyr nodded.

"Good. We'll have to take the T-car since the T-ship is damaged so limit yourselves to as few things as necessary. Our quest begins at eight."

* * *

Beast Boy sat on the roof of titan tower, watching as the sun made its slow ascent into the sky. The view was beautiful, with the glittering city skyline and the orange and red sunrise beside it. With a sigh, the changeling pulled his legs to his chest and rested his chin on his knees. No matter how nice his surroundings were, Beast Boy's troubled mind couldn't be soothed.

Preparing for the quest the night before had gone smoothly enough. The hardest part had been thinking of a way for each of the titans to use celestial bronze while fighting. Robin had been the easiest. Cyborg had melted down a few of Owen's weapons to make the Boy Wonder a new bo-staff and his bird-a-rangs had been coated in the strange metal as well.

Cyborg had been slightly more difficult but the mechanical titan had finally discovered a way to put celestial bronze dust into his sonic cannon. Any monster he shot would be instantly vaporized. The teens had tried a similar technique when it came to the two female titans but unfortunately their powers weren't as easy to... access as Cyborg's. Instead, Raven was given dozens of arrows that she could control with her powers while Starfire received two long knives. Although the alien wasn't exactly trained to use them, the friends figured that she could wear down monsters with her starbolts before going in for the kill.

Beast Boy had by far been the hardest. Unlike the other titans, he had nothing to shoot _or_ throw. He depended on his own fangs and claws. The group spent hours thinking before Starfire's eyes lit up and she dashed from the room, dragging a confused Cyborg behind her.

Beast Boy looked at the others fearfully. "Uh what was that about?"

Raven shrugged. "Who knows. But it can't be good."

Minutes later Starfire walked through the sliding door followed by Cyborg who was trying unsuccessfully to hold back a snicker.

"Friend Beast Boy, marvelous news! We have discovered a solution to your problem!" The alien exclaimed as she pulled a bottle of nail polish from behind her back.

"Uh Star, how is your nail polish going to help me?" The changeling questioned.

"Oh, this is not mine friend, it is for you."

With that, Cyborg burst out laughing.

"No offense guys, but how is this going to fix our problem?" Robin asked, completely serious.

"Cyborg has helped me make a polish of nails that contains the celestial bronze," Starfire explained. "We believe that when Beast Boy changes, his claws will also be made of the metal. Cyborg has also made the caps for friend Beast Boy's fangs to act in a similar way."

With a grin, Cyborg helped up two small caps the perfect size for the changelings teeth.

Owen's blue eyes widened. "Genius."

The most embarrassing moment in Beast Boy's life had been when Starfire painted his nails while Cyborg and Robin practically rolled on the ground with laughter. Even Raven managed a small smirk.

Now, as Beast Boy sat alone on the roof, he couldn't even muster the feeling of embarrassment. The only thing he felt was a small numbness in the pit of his stomach.

The door to the roof hissed behind him, and Beast Boy knew without looking who it was. His best friend was the only one who knew him well enough to know how scared and confused he really was.

"B, how long have you been up here?" Cyborg asked quietly as he sat down next to the changeling. "Did you even go to sleep?"

"A little. But I couldn't stay in there, I needed some air," Beast Boy replied, shivering slightly in the morning breeze.

Cyborg sighed before looking out across the water. "I can't believe we're leaving again. I thought after Tokyo we might get some rest."

"There's no rest for heroes, remember?" The green teen replied bitterly.

The half-robot stared down at his friend with concern. "You wanna talk about it BB?"

"Talk about what?" The changeling asked, even though he knew perfectly well what his friend was referring to. The prophecy. The thing that now haunted his every waking moment.

"You know."

Beast Boy sighed. "What's there to talk about Cy? The fact that she's going to... die?" He choked on the last word, almost unable to get it out.

"You don't know she' going to die, the prophecy never said that."

"Yeah cause 'worst of fates' has so many meanings," Beast Boy answered, his voice full of sarcasm. "What's worse than dying?"

"Maybe... maybe it's the worst fate in _her_ opinion. You don't know that that's dying." Cyborg reasoned.

"What does is matter? If it's bad enough that it's worse than death then how can I possibly deal with that?" The changeling's tone echoed with hopelessness as he covered his face with his hands.

"Then we'll stop it. We stopped Raven's prophecy and we can do the same with this one," Cyborg spoke with more confidence than he felt, but he managed to make Beast Boy look slightly less crestfallen.

Starfire's voice called out from the direction of the door. "Friends! Robin says we must prepare to leave."

Cyborg rose, pulling his best friend to his feet. "Come on B, we've got a spirit to save."

Downstairs, as they were loading into the T-car, Beast Boy looked back towards the tower. The place had become his life, his sanctuary, his home. But now, as they were getting ready to leave for who knows how long, the changeling felt a tugging in his chest and an emptiness in the pit of his stomach. He had a strange feeling that he might never see his home again.

_A/N : And once again I feel bad for BB. =( So sad. Well, I hope you liked it and I once again want to thank my awesome, totally amazing, strange, crazy friend Autumnchronicles for all of her help getting me through the brain blocks and tough moments. THANKS A TON CRAZY CHICK! -coughs- Anyway, until next time I guess. The quest starts next chapter! Woo!_

-FlamingSky


	4. The Oasis

_A/N : Ok so I have some super important announcements! Make sure you read. Here we go: 1.) I AM SO SORRY. I'm sorry for the long update and for the other announcements. 2.) This chapter was originally suppose to be one awesome epic amazing action packed chapter. But as I was writing it slowly grew longer and longer until I had written more than the first three chapters put together. So, I regrettable had to divide it into three different parts. I've finished the first two parts and thought I'd go ahead and post them so ya'll didn't think I had fallen of the face of the earth. 3.) I will be going on vacation. WAIT DON'T SHOOT! I'm only going to be gone a week! I'll be leaving tomorrow, which is Friday for those of you who don't own a calendar, and be back the next Friday. So you'll have to wait for the next exciting installment until then. 4.) Parts of these chapters were a little rushed because I wanted to get it posted before I left. I apologize for any mistakes and I'll be sure to fix them when I get back. 5.) I think that's it… oh wait! I added a poll! Check it out! Just remember… not everything is as it seems. O.o 6.) Guess that's it for now… enjoy!_

**Chapter 4 : The Oasis**

"Beast Boy! Quit drooling on me," Raven complained in her usual monotone. The green titan's sleeping head had rolled over to rest on the empath's shoulder and a long string of saliva was making it's way down her arm. With her free hand, Raven pushed the changeling off her and onto Owen. The satyr cringed away but there was only so much space before he was crushing Starfire against the window.

"Uhh Beast Boy?" Owen muttered while poking him lightly. "Can you uhh… wake up?"

"Don't bother Owen," Robin spoke up from the front seat. The Boy Wonder was currently messing with the map, trying to make sure they were going the right direction. "A fog horn couldn't wake Beast Boy up."

"Man, you just don't know how BB's mind works," Cyborg commented as he drove down the road. "All you have to do is say something about tofu, Owen."

Owen looked down at the drooling shape shifter. "So uh Beast Boy? You want a… tofu burger?"

Immediately Beast Boy's eyes snapped open. "Huh? Tofu? What?"

Cyborg chuckled. "Told ya so."

Beast Boy let out a yawn as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Dudes are we there yet? This drive is so _boring_!"

The friends had been driving for hours on end and after multiple restroom breaks and wrong turns, the group had finally made its way to central Utah. The landscape consisted of miles of sandy desert, interrupted only by a few cacti and rocky cliffs that towered out of the sand. The sun was now beginning to set and so far there was no hotel or town in sight.

"Are you sure you're reading that map right?" Cyborg questioned, leaning towards the team leader. "What the…? Man, you're reading it upside down! We're suppose to be going north to get to Salt Lake City, not south!"

Robin scowled over at the half-robot. "Don't blame me! Star, why on earth did you buy a map in Japanese?"

Starfire stared at her boyfriend in confusion. "I do not understand Robin. I could read the map of places just fine."

The titans groaned in unison.

"You can read Japanese?" Owen asked, impressed.

"Oh yes, I learned when we were in the Tokyo!"

"Yeah yeah, Japanese, so cool. Look can we talk about foreign languages later? We're in the middle of no where and I'm starving!" Beast Boy complained just as his stomach let out a fierce rumble.

"Friend, if you are hungry, you may share some of my delightful mustard," Starfire offered, holding up a jug of the yellow condiment.

"Uhh, no thanks Star."

Robin grunted, throwing down his map in frustration. "There's no turnoff road from here that leads to Salt Lake City. We're going to have to continue in this direction." The leader turned around to gaze at his friends in the backseat. "Can one of you fly out there and see if there are any towns nearby?"

Beast Boy sighed. "I'll do it. One more minute of watching Star eat might make me puke."

The changeling quickly took the form of a hummingbird, motioning with his wing for Raven to roll down the window. The empath obliged as Beast Boy took of with a flutter of his wings. Unfortunately, seconds before the green bird reached the opening, the window suddenly rolled up and the teen to crash unceremoniously into the glass. Beast Boy chirped as he collapsed onto Raven's lap before returning to human form.

Cyborg burst out laughing as he took his finger off of the window control. "I'm… sorry… couldn't… resist!"

After recovering from his collision, Beast Boy leaned back casually against the door, placing his hands behind his head.

"Hey Rae, how's it going?" The green titan asked with a mischievous grin.

"Beast Boy," Raven said coldly. "Are you going to… I don't know… get off of me?"

"I don't know…" Beast Boy's voice feigned nonchalance. "I could use another nap."

Without another glance at the changeling, Raven reached for the door handle and yanked it open in one clean motion. Beast Boy's eyes widened as he hung for a moment above empty air, his arms flapping as he tried to maintain his balance. Raven let a small smile spread across her face as she poked the green teen lightly in the chest. With a girlish shriek, Beast Boy tumbled from the car into the dirt on the side of the road. The empath reached out and solemnly closed the door, acting as if nothing had happened. The remaining titans reacted similarly but Owen seemed genuinely concerned.

"Umm is he gonna be...?" Owen stopped abruptly as a green cheetah appeared next to the car. Beast Boy's eyes glared fiercely through the window while his fangs were revealed in a twisted expression. With a final snarl, the changeling took the form of a hawk and spiraled into the evening sky.

Beast Boy had always loved flying. The feeling of the wind beneath his wings was a sensation that just couldn't be matched. No matter how many forms he took, this would always be one of his favorites. The gentle air currents allowed Beast Boy to glide along with ease while the hawk's sharp eyes could pick out every little detail of the beautiful desert landscape. A snake, slithering across the sand in pursuit of a mouse. The long shadow of a cactus towering from the sand. Even a small desert flower, that managed to survive in these harsh conditions, wasn't left unnoticed. Beast Boy could have gazed down at the desert for hours. But of course, he had a job to do.

The changeling soared through the air, following the winding path of the road. Below him, Beast Boy watched as the T-car sped along. With his keen ears he could pick out bits and pieces of conversation. Raven's stern voice trying to calm someone down. Starfire's happy tone. Suddenly, Beast Boy cried out in a hawk's equivalent to laughter. It sounded like Robin and Cyborg were arguing _again. _

The teen did a few quick flaps, pushing himself ahead of his friends. The barren land stretched on into the horizon, broken only by rolling hills that appeared in the distance. Behind them towered monstrous, white-capped peaks. The Rocky Mountains.

There was no town or city in sight.

As Beast Boy prepared to return to his friends and deliver the bad news, a flash of color appeared at the edge of his vision. A strange speck of blue in an otherwise golden landscape. Curious, the changeling glided towards the mysterious shape that sat in the foothills ahead of him. As he drew closer, the outline stabilized to reveal a medium sized building with a quaint cottage look. In front of the lawn sat a sign that read "Blue Shark Inn."

Delighted with his discovery, Beast Boy quickly flew back towards the car. The sun had finally sunken beneath the horizon and the desert was wrapped in dim shadows. Adjusting to the changing light, the changeling took the form of an owl and his nocturnal eyes blinked while scanning the road for his friends. The teen let out a small hoot as he resisted the urge to pluck a rat off the ground. He was hungry, but not _that_ hungry.

As Beast Boy soared over a sand dune, the T-car's lights came into view like two beacons in the dark. Sensing his presence, Raven rolled down the window and the shape shifter swooped in, taking his place between Owen and the empath.

"There's an inn a couple miles up the road," Beast Boy stated before Robin could open his mouth to ask. "We should be there in a few minutes."

"Glorious!" Starfire exclaimed as she slurped down the remainder of her mustard.

"Nice work Beast Boy," Robin commented as he swiveled around in his seat. "I _told_ a certain titan there was nothing to worry about." The group in the backseat moaned as Cyborg and Robin resumed their bickering.

The friends were still fighting about nothing in particular when they pulled up next to the inn. Immediately the group fell silent, completely stunned by the beauty of the place. Even Beast Boy, who had seen it before, had to hold back a gasp as he saw the inn up close.

The lawn alone was a lovely sight to the eyes of the titans. After hours of driving through the desert, the inn's yard resembled an oasis. Grass sprung up everywhere in different shades of green, accompanied by clay flower pots that lay on either side of the sidewalk. Rusty lanterns were lit every few feet to illuminate the dark yard and fireflies flickered in the bushes. Two weeping willows sat in the dark, their branches casting long shadows on the earth. At the end of the walkway stood the inn itself. The lower half of the structure was white rock while the top half was stucco and painted a light blue. Huge windows were all along the front, each one framed in stylish white trim.

"Wow," Beast Boy muttered in awe as the group made its way up the sidewalk.

"It is most beautiful," Starfire agreed.

Owen was the only one who seemed unfazed by the inn. In fact, he looked almost nervous.

"Um guys? I have a bad feeling about this place. It smells like… monsters."

"What are you talking about?" Beast Boy sniffed hard and his mouth immediately began to water. "All I smell is food! Tofu and… pizza!"

It was Cyborg's turn to smell the air. "I think your nose is off B. It smells like steak, bacon, and… maybe even sausage! Besides, who would be making your nasty tofu?"

As Cyborg and Beast Boy began one of their usual food debates, Starfire placed a comforting hand on Owen's shoulder. "Do not worry friend, I am sure all will be well."

The satyr's eyes remained troubled but he nodded slightly.

"Well let's see if they're open," Robin suggested as he rapped the door lightly with his knuckles. For a moment, only silence emerged from behind the door but after a few seconds it slowly creaked open. Beast Boy leaned closer to the entrance, his jaw dropping at what he saw.

Standing before the friends was the most gorgeous woman they, or the males at least, had ever seen. Her long blonde hair cascaded over her bare shoulders, framing her face with its gentle waves. She had brilliant blue eyes while her smile was a dazzling white. Even her skin was smooth and flawless. All she wore was a simple green tank top with denim shorts but it managed to make the woman look even more amazing. The only thing that seemed odd about her was a small snake tattoo that wound its way up her calf, stopping just short of her knee.

"Welcome to Blue Shark...Oh my!" The woman exclaimed while running her eyes over the group. "What are you kids doing way out here in the middle of the night?"

Robin made no move to speak as he was still captivated by the woman in front of him. Rolling her eyes, Raven elbowed him in the ribs, promptly snapping him out of his trance.

"O-oh," Robin stuttered. "We're um traveling to the great lakes and we got a little… lost."

"You poor dears! Well come inside this instance and we'll get you something to eat. You may call me Mia," The glow of the lanterns reflected eerily off of Mia's teeth as she waved the friends through the doorway.

The group quickly followed their hostess into a lovely sitting room which contained a few large couches and beautiful old paintings. Mia made small talk as she led them farther into the inn, stopping at last in a spacious dining room. The table was an obvious antique and stretched the entire length of the room, having enough chairs to seat dozens of guests. A huge buffet was layed out on the table, the food ranging from fresh lobster to tofu burgers and pudding. At the sight of the feast, Beast Boy let out a little moan, his stomach grumbling in hunger.

"It looks most delicious!" Starfire complimented.

"It does indeed," Mia replied, but her eyes were on the friends as she spoke. Owen gulped noisily. "Well go ahead, dig in!"

Mia's permission had been the only thing holding Beast Boy back. In less than a second he was around the table, swallowing food like he hadn't eaten in weeks. The other titans followed his example while Owen held back, nibbling on a napkin. Something about this place still felt wrong.

With his mouth stuffed with food, Beast Boy turned towards Cyborg and waved a tofu hot dog in his face. "Dude! You have got to try one of these!"

"Listen grass stain, for the last time, I am _not_ eating your nasty tofu!" Cyorg picked up a hamburger and pork shop instead and held them out to his friend. "Why don't you try one of these?"

"Dude! I've _been_ those animals! Would you go and eat _me_?"

"Naw man. Didn't your mom ever tell you? You're not suppose to eat green meat."

But even the boys' fighting couldn't ruin the meal for the others. The food was the best they'd ever tasted and none of the friends stopped until they were practically bursting at the seams. Even Owen joined in, his fears giving in to his hunger.

Robin groaned as he flopped down in a nearby chair. "That was amazing."

Mia smiled, patting the Boy Wonder lightly on the head. "I'm glad you enjoyed it dear. Now, how would you all like to see your rooms?"

The friends nodded and Beast Boy yawned loudly. The changeling's lack of sleep the night before was really taking it's toll on him and he felt like he could sleep for three days straight.

"Stewart!" Mia called out, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. After a few awkward moments, a large man stomped into the room. He had huge beefy limbs, each one bigger around than Beast Boy's head. His face was strangely blurry and the changeling had to squint hard to make out his features. The man wore a simple pinstriped suit that looked way too small for him and his right hand kept reaching up to figit with the tie.

Stewart turned towards Mia, wearing a fierce scowl. "Yes?" His voice was blunt and coarse, containing zero emotion.

"Please take our guests to their rooms."

The man scowled harder but he motioned for the group to follow him. "Come."

Stewart led the friends out the door they'd come, taking an immediate left towards a small staircase. The monstrous man began the trek up the stairs, each step creating a booming sound that echoed throughout the inn. Owen and the titans shadowed him silently, feeling uncomfortable now that their welcoming hostess had left them.

At the top of the stairs stretched a long hall that ended in a large window. Outside it was pitch black except for a few stars that shown through the clouds and the dim light that could be seen from the lanterns. Doors were located on either side of the hall and Stewart mechanically motioned to the first six. "Here." The butler handed them each a long brass key before making his exit back down the steps.

Silence followed in his wake as each of the friends walked to stand in front of their doors. Robin was the first to speak, his voice oddly apprehensive.

"Well team I guess this is good night. Get some sleep," the leader then swiftly opened his door before disappearing inside. The titans exchanged nervous glances and good nights before unlocking their own rooms. Beast Boy's door creaked open slowly as he fumbled for the light switch, the intense darkness in the room sending chills down his spine. When at last he felt the familiar shape, he flicked it on, expecting a monster to be waiting for him in the shadows.

The green teen sighed in relief. Not only was there nobody else in his room, but it was just as beautiful as the rest of the hotel. A huge king-sized bed sat to his left, it's giant red comforter looking very appealing. Two couches sat closer to the windows, which were covered in gold curtains, and a large plasma screen TV hung on the wall.

Beast Boy looked towards the bathroom, thinking how wonderful a hot shower would feel. Unfortunately, the changeling could hardly keeps his eyes open and he collapsed on the bed, not even bothering to change out of his uniform. Just as he was about to give in to sleep, the shape shifter's sharp ears picked up a strange banging sound from down the hall. He promptly ignored it. That was something Stewart could take care of. Right now all he wanted to do was sleep...

_A/N : On to the next chapter…_

_-FlamingSky_


	5. Dreams and Monsters

**Chapter 5 : Dreams and Monsters**

Beast Boy's dream started out different from the ones he was use to. For starters, he had no idea where he was. The air was thick and moist, the way it felt right after a heavy rain. It was nighttime but the changeling could still make out the outlines of trees and vines around him as he walked through the forest. The ground under his feet was uneven, leading downwards towards a valley-like dip in the ground. As Beast Boy pushed through the foliage, he burst into a clearing, rubbing his eyes at the sudden brightness.

A serene pond spread out before the teen, its surface as smooth as glass in the silver moonlight. Emerging from its center was a small island that only held a couple of boulders and a few massive trees. A hunched form lay huddled between the rocks, its outline blurred in the shadows. A strange sobbing sound echoed across the pond, giving the place an eerie feel. Beast Boy squinted, trying to make out the stranger. Were those chains he saw strapping the person to the rocks?

Just as the changeling was about to call out to the stranger, voices began speaking quietly in the woods to Beast Boy's left. Unsure if they were friends or enemies, the changeling morphed into a mouse before making his way towards the sounds. Red and orange light flickered from the forest ahead and Beast Boy peaked his head out of the grass.

A small fire sat alone in the middle of a circular clearing. At first it appeared that the maker of the fire was long gone but a voice quickly spoke up from the shadows.

"The plan is going along nicely, don't you think?" it was a man's voice, deep and strong with a hint of deception. Now that he knew where the voice was coming from, Beast Boy could make out the shape of a man on the other side of the clearing, just outside the ring of light.

"Yesss sssir," another voice hissed. It was a female this time but her speech was strange, almost like someone was letting air out of a balloon. Beast Boy looked around again and discovered a second outline across from the first.

"It is only a matter of time before the gods destroy themselves with their useless bickering. Then I will claim Olympus for myself!" The man's voice was full of triumph.

"You victory is absssolute ssssir. But tell me, what of the titansss?"

"Don't worry about those worthless children. They're being taken care of as we speak," the man spit the words out as if the mere mention of the titans made him sick.

"But how could you know thisss sssir?"

"I have gained access to someone... close to the situation. They are under my command whenever I please," the man replied smugly.

"Impossssible! Even your powerss could not work on someone elssse! You have too many under your control already!" The female hissed in shock.

A blast of energy erupted from the fire, sending the female sprawling into the light. Beast Boy squeaked in astonishment.

The creature he had thought was a female was in fact a snake woman. Her long arms and legs were covered in green scales and a forked tongue flickered between her teeth. The monster pulled herself out of the dirt, hissing as she got to her knees.

"You dare question my power!" The man bellowed, his voice shaking the trees and flattening the grass within a mile radius. He loomed above the creature, his face masked in shadow.

"N-no massster," the snake lady stuttered in fright. "Your powerss are mosst impresssive."

The man's voice was slightly calmer as he responded. "Then I would appreciate in the future if you would keep your doubts to yourself."

"Yesss sssir of coursssse."

"Good. Moving on. Is the spirit still completely contained?"

"Yesss sshe will not esscape."

Beast Boy made a small noise, expressing his alarm. Spirit? No it couldn't be. This was just a dream…

The man began to say something but his companion cut him off. "Ssir! There is someone here."

A figure of black appeared in front of Beast Boy, blocking out the light. The changeling tried to back away but he found himself frozen in fear.

"Interesting," the man's voice was seeping with venom, as a large hand reached into the bushes. Beast Boy managed a final squeak before the hand closed around him, cutting of his air supply.

The scene shifted.

Beast Boy looked around, his eyes running over the now familiar surroundings. Who knew his common nightmare would be so welcoming? At least this dream he was used to.

The shape shifter was standing in a lab, each side lined with cages. At one point in time the cages had been filled with animals, each one becoming a different experiment. Now the cages lay empty, containing only dust and cobwebs. It was the same lab where the green titan had once lost control. Where he had attacked a criminal with every ounce of his strength. Where chemicals and changed him into something that he was afraid he would never be able to control. The Beast.

Beast Boy wandered down the aisles, taking his time. At last he came to the end of the cages, the room widening to reveal a large bare space. He walked methodically towards the center of the room where a single cage sat on the cold concrete. Beast Boy sighed as he came to a stop in front of the bars. Hopefully his mental beating would be mild tonight.

"Well, if it isn't my other half," the Beast sneered, his fangs gleaming in the dim light. "How are you holding up Garfield?"

Beast Boy hated the way his real name came out of the creature's mouth. He made it sound weak. Pathetic. "My name is Beast Boy."

The Beast snickered. "_Beast _Boy? How can that be your name when you keep the _real_ beast locked in a cage?"

"You can't be trusted. You'll try to take over if I let you out."

"Would that really be so bad? I could help you. Together, we would be unstoppable!" The Beast grinned wickedly. "I bet I could even protect your girl from this _worst of fates_ business."

Beast Boy's hands tightened into fists. "Leave her out of this."

But the Beast could see he'd struck a nerve. "Would you really risk her life for your own pride? That seems pretty selfish to me."

"Shut up!" Beast Boy burst, taking a shaking step towards his other half. Big mistake. The Beast's long shaggy arms reached through the bars, grabbing onto Beast Boy's uniform and pulling him close. Sharp fangs snarled inches from his face.

"No, you shut up Garfield and listen. No matter where you go, no matter where you hide, I'll always be here. You can't escape me. One of these days you're gonna have to let me out. You just better hope it's before your true love is laying on the floor, dead as a doornail, and not after!" The Beast chuckled at Beast Boy's tortured expression before releasing him from his steely grasp. "You better go little Gar, your love awaits."

Before Beast Boy could ask what the creature meant, a huge chasm opened up below him, sending cracks across the floor. With a screech the titan began to fall, the endless blackness wrapping itself around his body. As the changeling closed his eyes, the last thing he heard was the fading sound of the Beast's evil laughter. Then there was only darkness.

* * *

"Beast Boy! You have to wake up! Tofu! Pizza! Video games!"

Beast Boy's eyes slowly peeled back to reveal a frantic Owen screaming in his face.

"Owen, what the hell are you doing?"

"Baaaa!" The satyr bleated. Beast Boy immediately sat up. He was starting to learn that Owen only made sheep sounds when something was terribly wrong. "We have to get out of here _now_!

"What happened?" Beast Boy felt his body go cold with worry.

"I _told_ everyone there was something wrong about this place but did anybody listen? No! And now there are monsters patrolling the hallway and we're the only ones left and…"

"What do you mean we're the only ones left?"

"… this all could've been prevented if people would just pay attention to me. You know I have a very good nose when it comes to monsters…"

"Owen."

"… Not just anybody could've smelt them before we were even in the house…"

"Owen."

"… and now we might be stuck in here and there's nothing we can do…"

"_Owen_!"

The satyr stopped abruptly, looking at the changeling fearfully. "What?"

"Shut up!" Beast Boy rubbed his eyes, trying to focus through an oncoming headache. "Ok now take a deep breath."

Owen complied, sucking in a long gust of air.

"Now start from the beginning. _Slowly._"

The satyr took another breath. "O-ok. So I woke up a little while ago when I heard something from down the hall. I looked outside my room and saw Stewart carrying something down the back stairs. It kinda freaked me out, so I went to Starfire's room to make sure everything was ok. Her door was open and when I looked in, she wasn't there." Beast Boy could tell that Owen was trying to stay calm but his voice shook slightly. "Then I checked on the others but all of their rooms were empty too. Except for yours."

"But wait, you said monsters were in the hallway."

Owen gulped. "Yeah. Before I came in here, I saw another servant walking up and down the hall. He only had… one eye."

Beast Boy's eyes widened. "A Cyclops?"

"Yeah. What are we gonna do?" The satyr's desperate voice was back.

The changeling sighed, massaging his temples. Why did everything have to happen to _him_? "We need to find out what's really going on here. You said that Stewart was going down the back stairs right?"

Owen nodded.

"Then that's where we need to go," Beast Boy concentrated, listening for footsteps in the hall. "I don't hear anyone, now's our chance."

The two tiptoed silently towards the door. Owen slowly reached out and pulled the door open, cringing at the squeaking sound it made. Before the satyr could take a step through the doorway, Beast Boy put up his hand, signaling Owen to remain where he was. A green fly flew from the room and quickly swept the hallway for enemies. After a few agonizing moments, the changeling reappeared in Raven's entranceway.

"It's clear," Beast Boy muttered. The friends started off towards the end of the hall where the dark window loomed sinisterly. To the window's left was a small opening containing a set of old wood stairs. When the two were feet from the door, Beast Boy reached out, yanking Owen back by the arm.

"What?"

"Someone's coming!" The shape shifter breathed. Beast Boy whipped his head around frantically, searching for a place to hide. "Here!" Owen was pulled into a side hallway where his green friend pushed him against the wall.

"Who is it? Maybe it's one of the oth…" A glove cut of the satyr's sentence as it closed over his mouth.

"Quiet!"

The ground thundered as footsteps started from the direction of the stairs, walking slowly towards the boys' hiding place. They hardly dared to breath as a shadow appeared in front of them, blocking out the light. The figure paused, and Beast Boy immediately recognized Stewart. Except for one detail. The servant had a single, giant brown eye.

The monster stopped at the entrance to the side hall, breathing in deeply like he was smelling the air. His massive head swung back and forth while the friends pressed themselves against the wall. After a few intense moments, he moved on, continuing in the direction of the titans' rooms.

When the creature was out of ear shot, Beast Boy leaned towards his companion. "How did we not notice he only had one eye?"

"The Mist must be strong here. Otherwise I would have seen through it."

"What are you talking about? There isn't any mist in here!"

"Not literally mist! The Mist is the thing that keeps mortals from seeing…"

"Ok, ok never mind! We have other things to worry about!" Beast Boy motioned towards Stewart. "He's gonna figure out we aren't in our rooms."

Owen gulped. "What are we going to do?"

"If someone took the other titans then we can't risk him going back and telling them. I'm going to have to take him down."

"What? By yourself? I don't think that's a good idea. Cyclops are extremely strong…" The satyr's voice was growing dangerously loud.

"I'll be fine Owen. Just stay here, ok?" Before the half-goat could protest, Beast Boy took off down the hall. The green teen morphed into a jaguar, taking care to step as lightly as possible. Every footfall felt like an earthquake and the changeling just prayed that the Cyclops wouldn't turn around.

Beast Boy was mere feet from Stewart, prepared to pounce, when Owen began screaming behind him.

"Beast Boy, look out!"

The titan cursed mentally as his element of surprise was broken. Stewart whipped around, his eye widening upon seeing the green jungle cat. Beast Boy snarled and leapt, his claws extended towards the Cyclops' face. But the changeling had underestimated his opponent's strength. Stewart's fist stuck out, hitting Beast Boy in the jaw. The force of the impact sent him flying backwards into another giant being. Looking up, the green teen saw what had startled Owen in the first place. Another Cyclops had managed to sneak up behind him. Beast Boy was outnumbered.

The second Cyclops reached out and grabbed the now human changeling around the neck, pulling him off the ground. Beast Boy gasped as the hand squeezed, causing spots to appear in his vision. Just as Owen was about to pass out from fright, the shape shifter took the form of a raptor. His muscular leg flicked upwards, stabbing his celestial bronze claw into the monster. A choked roar ripped out of the Cyclops' chest before he exploded into sand.

Unfortunately, Stewart was still very much alive. The creature took two threatening steps towards a gasping Beast Boy, balling his hands up into fists. Recovering quickly, the titan morphed into a gorilla, baring his teeth silently. The Cyclops and changeling charged towards each other before colliding into a whirlwind of flying fists. A kick was landed here, a head butt there, but nothing seemed to be affecting either of the fighters. Suddenly, the fight came to a stand still as Stewart got in a lucky punch, sending Beast Boy crashing into a wall. His head hit the sheet rock with a sickening thud and he slid slowly to the floor, changing back to his human form in shock. The Cyclops grinned wickedly as he raised his foot above Beast Boy's face.

Stewart paused, his eye growing wide in shock and his mouth opening in a silent roar. Without warning, the Cyclops collapsed in a pile of sand. Beast Boy looked up through blurry eyes to see Owen standing before him, a sword clutched in his hand. The satyr looked unnaturally pale as he stared down at his green comrade.

"Owen? Are you ok?" Beast Boy was growing concerned as he drew himself shakily to his feet.

The half-goat said nothing.

"Dude. You're freaking me out. You wanna drop the sword?" The changeling took a hesitant step towards his friend.

The blade clattered to the floor. Beast Boy let out a relieved breath as he rested a reassuring had on the satyr's shoulder.

"Owen, are you having a mental breakdown or something?"

"You're bleeding," Owen's voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke but Beast Boy could still hear the fear in his tone.

Confused by his friend's reply, the changeling reached back to touch the back of his head, wincing at the shot of pain it sent down his neck. The gloved hand came back red.

"Listen Owen, I'm fine. Ok? But we really need to get moving," the shape shifter took a few steps towards the back stairs, praying that Owen would follow.

"O-ok," he stuttered before following Beast Boy down the hall. The two started down the stairs without speaking, Owen's hooves making little thumping sounds every step. Beast Boy held his breath, trying not to alert anyone downstairs with even the slightest noise.

At last the friends reached a landing that spread out into a tiny balcony. It hung over a small kitchen before steps continued down into the room. Owen and Beast Boy got on their hands and knees, crawling slowly to the edge of the landing. They peeked between the bars of the railing and into the room, causing Beast Boy to let out a quiet gasp.

The four missing titans sat in old wooden chairs on the far side of the kitchen. Each one was bound with different materials, apparently keeping their powers at bay. Beast Boy was immediately reminded of when Mad Mod had captured him and his friends, keeping them contained in specialized chairs. There was only one difference this time. The changeling was not beside them.

Beast Boy let his eyes wander around the room, searching for an explanation. The emerald orbs came to rest on something, or someone, that was standing near a stove. Owen shook beside him as they both stared in shock at their hostess.

Mia looked hideous. Her blond hair was in knots, covered in dirt and grime. The once beautiful smile was gone, replaced by sharp teeth and a forked tongue. Even her fingers had changed into ugly pointed claws. Below her waist, where her graceful legs had once been, was a serpent's tail that was covered in large green scales. It stretched across the kitchen floor, the end flicking every so often.

Before Beast Boy could ask Owen what the hell had happened to Mia, a servant scurried into the room. As far as the changeling could tell, she was completely human.

"U-uh Madam Lamia? You called for me?" The girl's voice wavered as she stood before the monster.

"Did you happen to hear all that banging that was going on upstairs?" Mia questioned, her tone void of emotion.

"Y-yes ma'am."

"And you didn't think it would be wise to… I don't know… look into it?" The monster's voice flared with anger.

"I d-didn't… I… thought…" the girl stuttered, her eyes clouding with fear.

Mia waved her clawed hand. "Oh never mind. Just go find out why Stewart isn't back yet. And while you're at it, tell him to dispose of the green one and the goat boy. I can't have those filthy half-animals ruining my no animal diet." The creature made a disgusted sound at the mention of Beast Boy and Owen.

"Y-yes ma'am, of course," the servant hurried from the room, her face flooding with relief.

Beast Boy cursed mentally. They had minutes, if not seconds before the girl discovered that they weren't in their rooms. The teen turned to Owen so they could formulate a plan when he noticed the look of panic on the satyr's face.

"Owen? What's wrong?"

"Lamia… Shark Inn… animal free diet… no, no, no! How did I not see this before?" Owen muttered to himself, growing more anxious by the second.

"Owen, tell me what's going on. Who's Lamia?"

The satyr looked at his friend, taking a deep calming breath. "Lamia was this beautiful queen of Libya, who had an affair with Zeus. They had some kids and Hera, Zeus's wife, got _really_ mad. She was so angry, she ended up killing Lamia's kids. The queen went crazy she was so upset. She was so insane that she turned into a demon and began to devour… she ate…" Owen choked on the words, unsure how to explain.

Beast Boy looked between Lamia, who was stirring something on the stove, and his tied up friends. Understanding burst into his head and the changeling prayed that he was wrong.

"Please tell me you were about to say 'she ate rotten eggs and sprinkled donuts'." Beast Boy whispered, fear seeping into his voice.

Owen shook his head sadly. "She's known as Lamia, the large shark, devourer of children."

_A/N : CLIFFHANGER! Sorry but it had to be done! You'll find out what happens in a week. =D Anyway, I'm off on my vacation, I hope I didn't disappoint._

_-FlamingSky _


	6. Dinner or Death?

_A/N : I AM SO SORRY! I know this update took EXTREMELY too long. I'll give you all of my pathetic excuses after this chapter so you can start reading! Enjoy._

**Chapter 6 : Dinner or Death?**

Raven was not having a good day. First of all, she had been forced to sit next to Beast Boy in the T-car _all_ day. That was just a disaster waiting to happen. Didn't Robin know better? Beast Boy managed to get even more annoying when confined to a small area. Secondly, right as she had been about to fall sleep, she'd been kidnapped by a Cyclops. And now, after being tied to a chair with a material that magically zapped her powers, some snake girl wanted to eat her! What next? Would big foot pop out of the shadows and steal her luggage?

Raven struggled against her bindings and the nasty gag that had been forced into her mouth. It tasted horribly of rotten meat and the titan resisted the urge to throw up. Instead, she took her mind off of the situation by imagining how it would feel to blast Lamia into another dimension. After a few deep calming breaths through her nose, the empath looked to her right where Robin was chained tightly to a chair. She could almost see the wheels churning in his head as he tried to think of an escape plan. Unfortunately, she could also see the desperate look on his face as all his ideas ran dry.

Just as the dark teen was beginning to lose hope, a muffled screech escaped her mouth. A green spider had appeared on her shoulder, its hairy legs tickling her neck. Raven scowled as she recognized her friend but inwardly she was elated. Beast Boy was alive, well, and most importantly, untied.

Beast Boy shook in silent laughter before turning to observe the room from his new perspective. Lamia's back was facing the changeling as she stood hunched over the stove. What on earth could she be making? The green teen sniffed for an answer but unfortunately his sense of smell wasn't that great in this form. To the left of the stove sat an old dining room table, complete with a white silk table cloth. On the other side of the table, the stairs wound up the side of the room, masked in shadow. Even Beast Boy's sharp eyes couldn't make out the shape of Owen sitting on the bottom step.

What was he waiting for? The satyr needed to hurry with his distraction or the servant would return and give them away. Waving one of his tiny legs, the changeling jumped up and down on Raven's shoulder, trying to get his friend's attention. Unfortunately, Owen remained in his hiding place, his blue eyes searching for the perfect moment.

Rapid footsteps sounded down the hall right before the servant girl burst into the room. Her forehead was beaded with sweat while her large eyes looked around the room frantically. Beast Boy cursed in spider language. Owen was ruining everything!

Lamia looked towards the girl, one eyebrow raised questioningly. "Yes?"

Before the girl could open her mouth to reply, music erupted from the corner of the room. Beast Boy whipped his head around to see Owen stepping from the shadows, a set of reed pipes held to his lips. A fast-paced melody flowed from the instrument, causing everyone in the room to look for the music's source. The servant gasped, fleeing from the room with a screech. Lamia spun around, her cold eyes narrowing as they focused on Owen. The satyr's only reply was picking up the music's pace.

Suddenly, cracks appeared in the wood floor, sending Lamia stumbling across the room. Splinters flew into the air and the fissures grew to reveal long, twisted roots. The roots quickly grew to wrap their way around the monster. Lamia hissed, ripping her tail out of the plant's grip before swinging it in Owen's direction.

Beast Boy stared at the satyr in shock. He hadn't expected such a big distraction from his friend. Shaking himself from his daze, the changeling quickly took advantage of Lamia's preoccupation. The green spider leapt off Raven's shoulder, morphing mid-air into a wolf. Beast Boy let loose a loud snarl before landing on the monster's tail and digging his celestial bronze claws into the scaly skin.

Lamia screeched in pain, immediately turning her attention to the green canine. The monster reached out with her gnarled hand, backhanding Beast Boy into a chair. A small whine echoed through the room but the changeling immediately pulled himself to his paws. For a moment, the two fighters stood at a standstill, each one waiting for the other to make the first move.

Loosing patience, Lamia attacked. The emerald tail whipped around, attempting to knock Beast Boy into the stove. The shape shifter jumped up and nimbly dodged out of the way. After morphing into a kangaroo, the green teen balanced on his tail, using his powerful legs to kick at the monster. Both feet made contact, sending Lamia crashing into the wall.

"You stupid child!" Lamia hissed while brushing debris off her pale shoulders.

Beast Boy shifted into a bear, letting loose a massive roar in reply.

The changeling charged, racking his claws down the monster's side. Each nail pierced like a thousand needles and Lamia punched blindly in Beast Boy's direction. The green teen felt a sharp pain in his stomach but he hardly noticed. Adrenaline was pulsing through his veins as he brought down his massive paws again and again. At last, he broke away, breathing heavy. He expected Lamia to burst into a pile of sand any second. Unfortunately, Beast Boy had underestimated his opponent.

Although the monster looked and felt like crap, a small smile spread across her face as she decided to take a new approach. Her long tail rose up into the air and Beast Boy prepared himself for another attack. But as the tail smashed downwards, the changeling's eyes widened in realization. Lamia grinned as her tail continued its crash course towards Owen who stood frozen and vulnerable in the corner.

"No!" Beast Boy choked out, after morphing back to human form in shock. Acting purely on impulse, the green teen dove across the room, putting himself between Owen and the oncoming attack. The massive tail made contact and the changeling was sent crashing to the floor. He didn't get up.

Owen took a small step towards his fallen friend but was hit in the chest by the end of Lamia's tail. The serpent part of the monster continued on, slithering across the floor to wrap its way around Beast Boy. The changeling groaned slightly as he was lifted off the ground and his eyes fluttered open, the green orbs tight with pain. The tail squeezed Beast Boy harder and he could only watch as Lamia slinked across the room, stopping just out of the teen's reach.

"You put up a good fight my dear, but sadly, your time is up," Lamia practically purred, placing her snake-like fangs inches from Beast Boy's neck. "It's a pity though. Had you not been tainted, I'm sure you would have been positively _delicious._"

Raven watched helplessly as Lamia drew closer to her injured friend. Her dark eyes darted around the room, looking for some way out of their situation. Unfortunately, without her powers, the empath had no way of reaching anything that would be useful. The only thing she had access to was her chair.

Raven's eyes widened slightly.

_The chair._

Lamia was just about to sink her teeth into Beast Boy's skin when a loud crash echoed across the room. The monster's head snapped up, her cold eyes narrowing. Raven's chair had toppled over and now lay on its side in front of Robin's. This small distraction was all Beast Boy needed to make his move. Gathering all his strength, the changeling shifted into a cobra. The green snake bit down hard on Lamia's tail before wriggling its way free of the creature's hold. Lamia screeched in agony, and Beast Boy briefly wondered if snake venom worked on monsters.

Before Lamia could compose herself, the shape shifter took the form of a rhino, smashing his large head into the monster's side. The snake woman fell hard and as she tried to pull herself off the floor, Beast Boy placed his horn on Lamia's throat. It was over.

Beast Boy looked down at the villain, expecting her to let loose some snide comment. She surprised him by bursting into tears.

"All I… wanted… was to… avenge… my babies!" Lamia sobbed, curling into a small ball and ignoring Beast Boy's celestial bronze horn. "Hera… killed them… my poor… darlings!"

Beast Boy spared a small glance at his friends to see similar looks of surprise on their faces. Even Owen, who was pulling himself shakily to his feet, looked confused at the monster's outburst.

The changeling turned back to Lamia to see that she had changed back into the beautiful Mia. Tears streaked down her face and her blue eyes had a pleading look.

"I was just… avenging… my children. Go green one. Leave me… to my grief."

"Don't listen to her Beast Boy!" Owen screeched. "She's a demon! She's just messing with your head!"

But as Beast Boy looked down at Lamia, he couldn't help feeling a small twinge of pity. For a moment, he saw her as she use to be. A strong, beautiful queen, whose main purpose in life was raising her children. She'd had everything anyone could want, only to have it ripped away by a jealous god. Could Beast Boy really blame her? Wouldn't anyone go crazy if they lost their kids that way?

The changeling shifted back to human form, praying he wasn't making a mistake. Ignoring Owen's protests, Beast Boy turned his back to Lamia, taking a step towards his friends. That was his biggest mistake. In a split second, Lamia was a monster again. The demon surged forward, pushing Beast Boy hard in the back. The green teen fell forward, wincing as his head collided with the legs of Starfire's chair.

"Fool!" Lamia hissed with delight. "Did you really think I would let my dinner just walk away?"

Beast Boy didn't answer. Something lay hidden under the chair in front of him and he worked his hand slowly in the object's direction, trying not to be obvious.

"Stupid animal!" The monster spat, drawing closer.

Just a few more inches.

"Say goodbye to your friends my dear."

Beast Boy's hand closed around the object. It was _sharp._

"It's time to finish you," Lamia concluded, raising her tail for one final blow.

With all his remaining strength, Beast Boy whipped around, stabbing Starfire's knife deep into Lamia's stomach.

The monster gasped, her eyes expanding in pain. She slithered a few feet backwards, looking down at the knife in shock. Beast Boy could only watch as the demon lifted her head and stared at him with glistening blue eyes.

"My poor babies," Lamia muttered sadly before exploding in a shower of sand.

Beast Boy stood frozen in place, unable to take his eyes off the sand dune. Behind him, the changeling heard Owen scrambling around the room, untying the other titans as quickly as possible. Voices echoed across the kitchen and the green teen slowly turned around to face his friends.

"Way to go B!" Cyborg cheered. Beast Boy smiled slightly as his best friend gave him a high five.

"Yes, well done, friends!" Starfire exclaimed, wrapping both Owen and Beast Boy in a bear hug. The changeling twitched in pain.

As the friends began to debate on what to do next, Beast Boy began to take inventory of his injuries. Looking down, the green teen noticed a large amount of blood coming from a wound in his stomach. It looked like Lamia had stabbed him with something about the size of a kitchen knife. Using his left hand, Beast Boy applied pressure to the wound, his head spinning.

"Beast Boy… what happened to your head?" Raven had come up beside her green friend, sounding strangely concerned. Beast Boy reached to touch the back of his head, surprised at the odd burst of pain that was sent crashing through his skull. When he pulled his hand away, the teen's glove was covered in red. The changeling swayed on his feet and his head felt oddly dizzy.

"Um, Beast Boy, maybe you should sit down?" Raven's voice echoed from far away like she was at the other end of a tunnel. Beast Boy blinked and patches of black appeared in his vision.

Beast Boy collapsed.

Two large, metal arms caught the shape shifter before he could hit the floor. He groaned, his body feeling like lead.

"Beast Boy? Someone get something to lay him on!"

"B! Can you hear me, man?"

"Friend!"

"Beast Boy? Get some rags; we need to stop the bleeding."

"B-baaaaaa!"

The friends' concerned voices spun around the room, bouncing and echoing in the changeling's head. They were the last things Beast Boy heard before he lapsed into unconsciousness.

_A/N : Another cliffhanger… sorry about that. =P Anyway on with announcements…_

_Well my vacation was great, thanks for asking! (Inner self: "They didn't ask…" Me: "SHUT UP!") But as you know, my vacation ended WEEKS ago. So why haven't I updated, you might ask? Because on my vacation I fell off my bike and had to go to the HOSPITAL and have SURGERY! O.o Haha just kidding! But I did fall of my bike because unfortunately, I have no balance. Anyway… the real reason I haven't updated is because… well… I've pretty much just been lazy. Horrible excuse, I know, but that's the truth. Plus I've recently gotten VERY addicted to the Maximum Ride books. Have you read them? No? WELL YOU SHOULD. I literally had to drag myself away from my book to write this chapter. _

_Well just so everyone knows, I start school next Monday. UGG! I hate school… A LOT. D: And unfortunately this is not only bad news for me but also for you because it means I won't have as much writing time. But don't worry! I will be writing with every spare moment I have and update as often as possible. So keep checking in! I'm also probably going to start doing updates on my profile so even if there's a long update, you'll know that I'm still working! So… look for that. XD_

_Ok, I can't think of anything else to bore you with so I guess that's it for this chapter. Review if you dare! :D_

_-FlamingSky_


	7. A Golden Gift

_A/N : I'll tell you my excuses later, just read!_

**Chapter 7 : A Golden Gift**

Beast Boy let loose a low groan as he struggled to open his eyes. A massive pressure seemed to sit on his head and the changeling wished the blackness would return to erase the pain. A fuzzy feeling covered his senses, creating a feeling of unease. He was use to hearing everything, seeing something first, picking up a scent. Now he could only hear his rapid heartbeat and his short, shallow breaths. Everything else was wrapped in a veil he couldn't seem to penetrate.

What happened? Beast Boy forced his aching brain to sift through his memories. There was the fight with Lamia. The hurt look in her eyes as she died. His friends congratulating him. Pain. Blood on his fingers. Raven's concerned voice. Falling. Then blackness. Aw, crap. Was he dead?

"Beast Boy?" A voice shot through the veil and it fell away, leaving the green teen gasping as his senses returned. He was lying on his back and something soft was pillowed beneath his head. A tint of blue outlined his eyelids, as he felt the pressure slowly begin to ease. He could even here familiar voices arguing near by. At last, the changeling's eyes fluttered open.

The first thing he saw was Raven's face. She wore her usual smirk but Beast Boy thought he could see a hint of worry deep within her eyes. The sunshine coming through a window outlined the empath's pale face while her hands were wrapped in her crystal, blue healing energy. But what had she been healing?

_Oh, _the teen thought. _My head._

Beast Boy quickly glanced around. He was stretched out on the back seat of the T-Car, his head resting on a pillow that lay on Raven's lap. Outside the sun was high in the sky, its harsh rays falling on a few familiar figures. Owen and the other titans stood a few yards from the car with Robin, Cyborg, and Owen locked in an intense debate. It appeared that Starfire was trying to be the peacemaker. Finished with their assessment, Beast Boy's eyes returned to Raven's.

"Hey," the changeling croaked.

The empath looked down at him, shaking her head. "You idiot. Why didn't you just tell us you were hurt?"

"Must've slipped my mind," Beast Boy replied with a weak grin.

The green teen thought he saw a smile tug at the corner of her mouth but it was gone in an instant.

"Where are we?" Beast Boy asked, trying to pull himself into a sitting position. His head spun sickeningly but he managed to get into the seat next to Raven without passing out.

The other titan watched him warily as if she thought he would collapse at any moment. "Somewhere in the Rockies."

"_Somewhere_ in the Rockies?"

"Our Japanese map isn't really helping."

Beast Boy looked out the window with a sigh. So _that's_ what they where arguing about.

"How long have I been… out?"

"Around 9 hours. We left the Inn right after… well you know. Anyway, we got enough food to last us a while but we really need to find a town," Raven explained.

The changeling groaned, rubbing his pounding head. This quest was already a disaster and they hadn't even made it half way to the Great Lakes!

"Well, I guess it's time to face the music," the Beast Boy muttered, reaching to open the door. As his hand closed around the handle, Beast Boy paused, looking back at his fellow titan. "Oh, and Raven? Thanks."

The empath cocked on eyebrow. "For what?"

Beast Boy's mind searched for the words to explain. Finally, he said, "Everything."

Did he just see Raven _blush_? He must've hit his head pretty hard.

"No problem," she replied simply, before stepping from the car. Beast Boy paused for a moment before following her into the sunlight.

The changeling blinked rapidly, his eyes trying to adjust to harsh light. The friends were on the side of a mountain with pine trees rising up around them. It was strangely silent, broken only by the titans' rising voices and the occasional cry of a hawk. The road stretched into the distance, disappearing behind the massive peaks. Beast Boy hoped his friends didn't expect to find a town up here. He had a feeling they'd be disappointed.

"… can't just drive into the mountains unprepared!" Beast Boy caught the end of whatever Robin had been saying. The Boy Wonder was standing across from Owen and Cyborg, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

"Well then what do you think we should do, Mr. Know-it-all? The only thing that's in the direction we came from is Lamia's monster lair! You saw how well _that_ went!" Owen retorted. Beast Boy was surprised by the satyr's outburst. Since when had Owen been so… brave?

"I think…"

"Beast Boy!" Robin's words were cut off by Starfire, who had just noticed the changeling's presence. The alien started towards him with a grin. Beast Boy cringed away, preparing himself for the crushing hug that was about to occur. Thankfully, Cyborg's arm shot out, stopping Starfire in her tracks.

"Uh Star? Maybe you should save the hugs for later?" Cyborg suggested.

Realization lit up in Starfire's eyes. "Oh."

Cyborg turned toward his best friend with a concerned expression. "How you feeling, man?"

"Fine," Beast Boy mumbled, feeling uncomfortable about all the attention.

Robin raised his eyebrows. "You sure? Maybe you should lie back down…"

"I'm _fine_." The others didn't look convinced. "Seriously, guys. Let's just move on."

Robin nodded, switching into leader mode. "Ok. Team, we need to get out of these mountains. I think the best method would be to go back the way we came and find a different route. _Some_ people," the Boy Wonder explained, looking pointedly at Cyborg and Owen. "Think we should continue on in this direction and look for a town. Since arguing isn't getting us anywhere, I think we should vote on it. All in favor of turning back, raise your hand."

Robin lifted his hand into the air, followed quickly by Starfire. Beast Boy shivered at the idea of going past Lamia's lair again and kept his hand stiffly at his side.

Nobody else moved.

Robin looked around the group before letting loose a sigh. "Fine. I guess we're heading deeper into the mountains. Let's move out."

The friends crammed back into the T-car, preparing themselves for another long drive. Beast Boy winced as he was jammed between Raven and Owen but he stayed silent. No need to get people worried again.

The drive through the mountains was boring but certainly beautiful. The white peaks loomed in every direction and the sweet scent of pine trees filled the air. Wildflowers were scattered about in various shades of colors, though Beast Boy had no idea how they survived when the air was already growing so cold. Even the wildlife seemed to be painted into the landscape. A baby elk and its mother stood peacefully by the side of the rode and a bird soared through the sky, searching for food. The green teen starred out the window, almost wishing he could join them and forget this quest, forget saving the world, and above all, forget _her_. But that could never happen.

The day stretched on but eventually the blue sky began to fade, replaced by a burning orange. It was about this time when the T-car ran out of gas. Cyborg stepped out of the car, cursing under his breath.

"Crap!" The half-robot grumbled, kicking the front tire. "What are we suppose to do now?"

The friends gathered outside the car in silence. Robin opened his mouth to speak but was quickly cut off by Cyborg. "Don't even start. Your plan wasn't any better than ours."

The Boy Wonder snapped his mouth shut with a scowl.

"Friends, should we not rest for the night?" Starfire suggested, looking towards the setting sun.

"Starfire's right," Raven agreed. Black energy wrapped around the car and pulled it off the road. "There's nothing we can accomplish tonight. We might as well rest."

The team quickly got to work. Cyborg and Owen started a fire and began cooking hot dogs over the flames. Starfire and Robin searched for firewood while Raven spread out sleeping bags with her powers. Beast Boy had no idea how all their things had fit into the T-car but he wasn't complaining.

While the others were occupied, Beast Boy backed into the woods, praying he wouldn't be noticed. The green teen just needed a few minutes to himself, a chance to think things over in private. Once inside the cover of the trees, the changeling morphed into a wolf, taking off at a full spring.

It felt great to run. Beast Boy's head still pounded slightly but stretching his legs was just what the doctor ordered. Each footfall hit the earth with a slight thud, barely disrupting the silent twilight. Farther and farther up the mountain he went, dodging trees with ease. Sometimes the shape-shifter would hear the crack of a twig or a rustle in the bushes but he ignored them. He felt invincible, on top of the world.

At last, the changeling began to slow. His tongue rolled out of his mouth with a pant, stinging as it contacted the cool air. Breathing heavily, the teen collapsed, shifting back to human form.

Beast Boy hadn't realized he had run so far. The titan sat on a small rock outcropping that stuck out over the mountain. A bright full moon hung in the sky, casting silver light through the trees. In the distance, the teen could see a speck of orange. The campfire. With a sigh of contentment, Beast Boy leaned back against a tree. It was nice to be alone for once.

"You like the moon, kid?" An unfamiliar voice asked.

Beast Boy turned his head and was strangely unsurprised to find a person sitting next to him. Maybe strangers popping up out of nowhere was just part of being a half-blood.

The man couldn't have been older than his early twenties with sun-streaked blonde hair and a cocky smile. His eyes were a bright blue and they shone with a mischievous twinkle. He was wearing a black t-shirt with a red jacket on top and a pair of dark-wash jeans. Somehow, the man managed to make even his simple clothes look fashionable.

"Uh… sure," Beast Boy replied hesitantly. Something about this guy seemed… familiar.

The man nodded as if he had expected that reply.

"Um… do you? Like the moon I mean," Beast Boy figured he might as well be nice to this guy until he found out if he was a monster or not.

The guy shrugged. "I guess. It's more of my sister's thing though. I prefer the sun."

Beast Boy was opening his mouth to reply when the stranger held up his hand. "I feel a haiku coming on." He cleared his throat.

"My sis is the moon,

Our powers are in the sky,

Apollo is best."

The man waggled his eyebrows. "Pretty good, right?"

Beast Boy had stopped breathing. Powers in the sky? A sister who controlled the moon? The sense of familiarity? This guy… could this be Apollo? Could this be Beast Boy's… dad?

"A-Apollo?" The changeling stuttered.

The god nodded. "Don't worry; I don't expect you to call me daddy or anything.

They sat in silence for a moment, neither knowing what to say. Emotions swirled through Beast Boy's head but finally he settled on anger.

"Where the hell have you been?" The changeling's cold voice seemed to shock Apollo. The god looked up with a blink. "All my life I've thought another man was my father. He _died_ believing I was his son. Was my mom even my real mom, or was nothing about who I am the truth? Has my whole life been a lie? So I'll ask you again. Where have you _been_?"

Apollo sighed and slumped back against a tree. His face became weary, making him look older. Beast Boy got the feeling that he wasn't this serious very often.

"Being a god isn't as easy as it seems you know," Apollo's face twisted slightly but he continued. "Zeus has certain rules that we have to follow. No interacting with your kids more than necessary. No interfering with quests. I _want_ to be there for my kids Beast Boy, but sometimes it's just not possible."

The changeling thought about that for a moment. "So if you aren't allowed interfere with quests then why are you here? Did you just come to stare at the moon?"

Apollo grinned wryly. It lit up his face like the sun. "Well some rules are meant to be broken. If anyone asks, you never saw me."

Beast Boy started to reply but the god cut him off. "Enough about the past and rules and all that nonsense. Let's talk about what really matters. The future."

The shape-shifter's head snapped up. "You know about my future?"

Apollo's grin widened. "God of sun, medicine, poetry, and prophecy at your service!"

"Then… if something were to happen to someone I… cared about, you would be able to tell me what happens? You could tell me so I could stop it?"

The god held up his hands. "Whoa, kid. Hold your horses. I might be a god, but I don't know _everything_. Besides, there are strict rules concerning the future. I can't just tell you what's gonna happen."

Beast Boy scowled. "I thought you said rules were meant to be broken."

"Touché!" Apollo laughed. "But these are rules more powerful then Zeus. I literally _can't_ break them."

"Then why are you here!" Beast Boy shouted, throwing his hands in the air. His voice echoed off the rocks. "Are you just gonna sit by and let her die…" The teen's voice cracked and he turned away.

Apollo watched Beast Boy warily. "Actually I came to give you gifts and even some advice. If you want it."

The changeling sighed, turning back towards the god. "What advice?"

"First of all, be wary of whoever kidnapped the spirit of truth. I might not be able to see who took her, but I know they're very powerful," Apollo's face darkened.

Beast Boy nodded, remembering his dream. _They are under my command whenever I please,_ the man said. It seemed the kidnapper had an inside man.

"And the gifts?"

"Well, I noticed you have a small transportation problem. I can't make in too obvious or Zeus would be suspicious, but I can promise you a ride if you can get out of these mountains."

The changeling looked at the god suspiciously. "What kind of transportation?"

"Oh, you'll see," Apollo replied with a grin.

Beast Boy stifled a groan. He didn't even want to know what the god had in mind.

"Another, and possibly more important gift, is this," Apollo pulled something from behind his back and tossed it lightly into Beast Boy's hands.

The changeling stared down at the gift in confusion. At first it appeared to be merely a normal apple painted gold but as Beast Boy looked closer he noticed other details. The apple seemed to radiate power, casting a small golden circle of light into the shadows. Across one side were the words "To The Fairest" in an elegant black script. Beast Boy swallowed hard as he finally remembered the story behind this particular fruit. He held it in his hands gingerly.

"This isn't… this isn't _the _apple is it? The one that Paris gave to Aphrodite? It's just a replica, right?"

"Nope. That's the original, one of a kind, Troy destroying apple!" Apollo said cheerfully.

The fruit suddenly felt ten pounds heavier.

"How did you get this?" Beast Boy whispered.

"Er… well…" The god looked uncomfortable. "I sort of _borrowed_ it from Aphrodite. So don't go telling your alien friend."

"I won't," the changeling muttered, looking down at the apple. "So what am I suppose to do with this?"

Apollo grinned again. "Oh, I think you'll know when the time comes."

Beast Boy was about to say that that was the worst answer he had ever heard when noises started from down the mountain. Voices?

"Your friends are looking for you," Apollo said in an almost apologetic tone. "I better be on my way. Don't forget what I've told you. And Beast Boy? Good luck."

The green teen had been facing away from the god, looking down the mountain. When Apollo was silent, the shape-shifter turned to find the spot empty, as if no one had been there at all. The god was gone. Beast Boy was left alone on the barren cliff, with only his thoughts and a golden apple.

_A/N : I know, it's been MONTHS since I've updated, but it just couldn't be helped. I've had a few deaths in my family, school has been horrible, and I've just had no time. Hopefully this chapter will get me back in the writing mood though._

_In other news, I started a new Maximum Ride story called "A Second Glance". The idea's been in my head for a while and I just had to write about it. So check that out if you want!_

_Anyway, reviews are appreciated! =D_

_-FlamingSky_


	8. Winged Enemies

_A/N : Hey everyone! I think I'm just going to stop giving excuses for long updates. You know the drill. School, life, etc. _

_I just have a few things to address before you guys read. I don't know if any of you have looked up Greek monsters but if you have, you know that Rick Riordan used A LOT of them in Percy Jackson & The Olympians. In fact, it's hard to find monsters he DIDN'T use. So unfortunately, every once and a while I'll have to use a few monsters that have already been used. Don't worry, I'll try to only use monsters that were rarely mentioned or weren't really elaborated on. Also, if you are a Greek mythology geek like me, you know how there are many different versions of the same stories, monsters, etc. I was having a few problems with the monsters in this chapter in that the stories about them were confusing and mixed up. So, I kind of mixed a few stories together to fit my needs. If you don't know much about mythology, you probably won't even notice. But if you do, please don't bash me with comments about it, ok? It's really only a little detail._

_Anyway… READ!_

**Chapter 8 : Winged Enemies**

Beast Boy had been having a lovely dream about dancing tofu when a voice startled him awake.

"Beast Boy! Wake up, please! Cyborg wishes to speak with us immediately," Starfire's cheery voice exclaimed. With a sigh, the changeling allowed his eyes to flutter open. The other titan was leaning over him, a bright smile on her face.

"Star, what could possibly be so important that it would cause me to get up before noon?" Beast Boy grumbled, pulling his feet from his sleeping bag. The sunlight had barely begun to trickle through the trees and the air still had that crisp morning feel. It couldn't have been later than seven.

The alien shrugged. "I do not know but Robin says we must be on 'the move' soon anyway.

With a groan, the shape-shifter got to his feet. "Fine, let's get this over with."

Starfire and Beast Boy walked over to the T-car where the other titans and Owen were waiting. They all looked dead serious and Beast Boy felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach. What had happened now?

"What's going on?" The green teen asked when he finally reached the others.

Robin nodded towards Cyborg. The half-robot shuffled his feet uneasily.

"Well… I was checking the T-car, seeing if there was any way I could make it run on a different energy source besides fuel, when a thought occurred to me. There was no way we could have run out of gas. I'm positive we had enough to make it a few more hours at least. So I checked the gas line, thinking maybe we had a leak. And we did. The thing is, it wasn't a natural leak. Someone cut the gas line," Cyborg explained.

The friends stood in a stunned silence, none of them quite knowing what to say. They all understood what this development meant. Someone had sabotaged the T-car. There was a traitor among them.

Beast Boy's immediately thought of his dream and his eyes were drawn to Owen. The man from his dream had spoken of gaining access to someone on the inside. The changeling had known the other titans for years and he trusted them with his life, but he'd only known Owen for a few days. Could Owen be a spy?

Still… thinking of everything that had happened in the last few days made Beast Boy reluctant to think Owen was the spy. The satyr had saved his life multiple times and had done nothing to give them reason to suspect him. Of course, if Owen was the inside man, he would have been careful to cover his tracks. Looking at the other titans, the changeling saw similar thoughts going through their heads.

"Um, dudes?" Beast Boy spoke at last, breaking the intense silence. "There's something you should know."

The green teen quickly told his friends about his dream and the visit from his dad, careful to leave out the golden apple. He felt it was something he should keep to himself, for a while at least. He also said nothing about his talk with the Beast. The friends had enough trouble as it was without having to worry if Beast Boy would turn into a monster when they turned their backs.

When the changeling finished, Owen nodded slowly. "Dreams like that are common among half-bloods. Sometimes they tell you things that are happening or are _going_ to happen."

Robin frowned. "If Beast Boy's dream was real, then it confirms we have a spy."

Starfire looked at her boyfriend, worry all over her face. "Then what shall we do Robin?"

"Nothing," the Boy Wonder answered after a moment. "We can't go around accusing each other without any evidence. It would just make things worse. We'll continue on as planned and focus on getting to Apollo's transportation."

The other's nodded, all of them relieved to have a course of action. Only Raven looked unsure, a frown etched into her face.

After a quick breakfast of protein bars and water from a nearby stream, the team set to the problem of getting out of the mountains. The T-car was out of gas, and only three of the friends could fly. After a long discussion it was decided that Starfire would fly with Robin, Raven would create a floating disc for Cyborg, and Beast Boy would carry Owen. The T-car would have to be left behind, seeing as they had no way to transport it. This left a certain titan visibly upset.

"No way man! We are not leaving my baby!" Cyborg stood in front of the T-car, glowering at the others.

"Cyborg, we don't have a choice. We can come back for it later, or you can re-build it," Robin said.

"No way!" the other titan repeated. "I'd rather be eatin' by wolves then leave her here!"

"I don't think wolves eat cyborgs," Beast Boy reasoned, earning himself a glare from the others. He grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Not helping."

Robin focused back on Cyborg. "Look Cyborg, we can push the T-car into the bushes or something. Nobody will even know it's there."

Cyborg's only response was to move a step closer to his beloved car.

So, after thirty minutes of arguing, the team had to drag their half-robot friend away, leaving two long ruts in the ground. Raven wrapped the angry titan in black energy and the friends were off.

Once Cyborg had stopped struggling and settled into an irritated silence, the flight became quite peaceful. Owen didn't weigh nearly as much as Cyborg and Beast Boy was able to maneuver gracefully through the mountains. The grey peaks swept by him as he flew in front of the others. Owen shifted uneasily below him, his hands gripping the changeling's pterodactyl ankles. Beast Boy swooped down, causing the satyr's feet to brush the needles of the pines below. He screeched and quickly bent his knees up to avoid hitting a branch.

"Beast Boy?" Owen's voice was muffled by the wind. "Can you please fly higher?"

The green teen let out a caw of disappointment but rose a few feet higher.

As the sun ascended in the sky, Beast Boy's arms, or wings in this case, began to grow tired and Owen felt like a thousand pounds in his weary claws. He caught Robin's eye and motioned downwards with his head. The Boy Wonder nodded and called up to his girlfriend. The friends began to loose altitude, searching for a place to land. They had covered a good distance so most of the massive mountains were behind them, and it was simple to find a flat valley to rest in.

Once the group had landed, Starfire took off a backpack containing some of the few necessities they'd been able to carry. Water bottles were passed around and for a moment they were able to rest and talk in peace. But ever since he had discovered he was a half-blood, Beast Boy had learned that the good times didn't last for long. Feeling a bit paranoid, the changeling withdrew from the conversation, glancing around suspiciously. Something felt wrong. Looking up at the sky, his emeralds eyes narrowed.

Something was flying towards them from the direction they had come. At first, it looked like one huge bird but as Beast Boy looked closer, he saw individual shapes flying in the mass of blackness. The shape shifter couldn't recognize the birds from so far away but he knew for a fact that no group of birds that big flew so close together. At least, no _normal_ group of birds.

"Dudes?" Beast Boy pointed towards the strange creatures. "I think we have company."

The friends turned to look, some of them expecting a prank. After a moment of staring, Starfire spoke up. "I do not mean to question you Beast Boy, but are those not birds?"

"Trust me, those aren't ordinary birds," the green teen replied, his feeling of unease rising. The birds were getting closer.

Sensing the seriousness in his voice, Raven nodded. "He's right. We should go."

The team packed up quickly, keeping a watchful eye on the birds. In a matter of minutes, the friends were off, flying quickly towards their destination.

It soon became clear they were being followed. No matter which direction they turned, the birds were always behind them, slowly gaining ground. They even dove down in the trees for a while, but when they came back up, the birds too were emerging from the pines.

Beast Boy kept circling around, trying to determine what species they were. The birds were black, like ravens, but they were larger and their wingspans were enormous. They flew in unison, with their wings rising and falling at the same time so they didn't collide.

Suddenly, something whizzed past the changeling's face, making a hissing sound through the air. Whipping his head around, Beast Boy watched as something long and pointed fell through the air in front of him. An arrow? The green teen looked over at Robin and the Boy Wonder nodded. He'd seen it too.

Robin motioned for the others to fly closer. "Ok, I think we need to land and face these things. They're going to catch up with us eventually, so we might as well face them on our own terms."

The friends nodded solemnly and they immediately began to descend. They were out of the mountains now and had entered the foot hills. They could even see a massive city in the distance, it's buildings twinkling in the afternoon sun. Landing on the top of a wide hill, the teens put down their things and waited. An immense silence settled over the land, like the calm before the storm.

Then, everything erupted.

The birds burst over the crest of the hill, screeching in fury. Their eyes were beady red and they had had long crooked beaks and claws. Arrows shot from the creatures' wings and Raven quickly put up a shield of black energy. The arrows were ordinary feathers but the ends were sharpened into wicked points. Adrenalines pumping, the friends leapt out from behind Raven's shield, weapons raised.

The girls took to the air. Starfire wielded her celestial bronze knives, slashing and hacking like she'd used them her whole life. With every stab, a bird exploded in a shower of sand. Raven on the other hand retaliated with arrows of her own, her powers causing them to fly with incredible accuracy. Down below, Robin and Cyborg were fighting back to back. Cyborg blasted birds left and right, while Robin's bird-a-rangs sliced through wings like butter. Even Owen was contributing to the fight with a short blade gleaming wickedly in his hand.

Beast Boy morphed into a cheetah, dodging arrows by inches. He ran straight towards a large clump of birds, his muscles tense. Just before he reached the creatures he shifted into a bear, going up on his hind legs and swatting at the black birds with his massive claws. They fell one after another but no matter how many birds the friends destroyed, more replaced them. Beast Boy felt like he was standing in a swirling black tornado of feathers.

Starfire was battling a particularly massive bird in the air. All of her star bolts missed and the creature managed to gracefully dodge her knives. With a loud battle cry, the alien hurled a knife at the bird. It let loose a fearful squawk, narrowly avoiding the weapon. Unfortunately, the knife continued downward, heading straight for a certain green titan.

"B, watch it!" Cyborg yelled from a couple yards away. Beast Boy's head snapped around, eyes widening. With a girlish shriek, the changeling turned into a turtle, pulling his head and feet safely within the shell. The bronze weapon stuck into the ground with a thud, missing Beast Boy by inches. He stuck his head out warily before morphing back into human form.

"Dude, watch it Star!" Beast Boy called up shakily. He picked up the knife and tossed it lightly into the air where Starfire caught it smoothly.

"I am sorry, friend!" she called down before re-entering the fight.

Beast Boy took the shape of a sabertooth, his celestial bronze fangs gleaming in the sunlight. He leapt into the air and his teeth closed over a number of birds. By the time he landed, his mouth was full of sand.

Raven's arrows flew across the sky, taking out a number of birds at once. Sadly, it was no use. The friends were badly outnumbered. Putting up a wall of energy, the empath flew closer to Robin.

"Robin! There are too many of them!"

The leader glanced around before giving her a small nod. The Boy Wonder batted away a few birds with his bo-staff, trying to clear a path down the hill. Maybe if they could reach the city, Apollo's transportation would get them away from the creatures. Just as he was about to call a retreat, Robin heard Owen yelling from behind him.

"Of course… of course! Beast Boy, Beast Boy!" The satyr was screaming excitedly, trying to slash his way through the birds to get closer to the green titan. "Morph into a wolf _now_!"

At this point, Beast Boy was willing to try anything. Confused, the changeling shifted into a wolf, snarling viciously at the birds. Almost at once, the flock rose, screeching in terror as they tried to flee the canine's snapping jaws. In a matter of seconds, they were gone.

The titans watched them go, before staring at each other in shock. What had just happened?

"I knew it!" Owen exclaimed.

Cyborg looked down at the satyr in confusion. "Er… knew what exactly? What were those things?"

"They're birds that guard one of Ares', the war god's, temples. I forget what they're called, but they're similar to stymphalian birds which are also sacred to Ares. I'm not completely sure what the difference it actually…" The satyr's brow creased with confusion before continuing. "Anyway, I remembered that the birds are scared of wolves, so we're lucky Beast Boy could turn into one. I've never heard of them attacking heroes that didn't come near Ares' temple though."

"Unless Ares is the one who stole the Spirit of Truth and he sent the birds to attacks us," Robin said darkly, brushing a feather off his shoulder. The friends stood in silence for a moment.

"I guess that could be possible," Owen said at last. "He would love a war between the gods."

"Regardless we should go…" Robin's reply broke off and his eyes widened. "Beast Boy, shift back into a wolf!"

The changeling had returned to human form but at Robin's urgent tone, he immediately switched back to a wolf. Turning around, he saw the birds had returned. Upon seeing the massive green canine, the creatures shot higher into the air, circling a few hundred feet up and away from the friends.

Owen looked up at them fearfully. "They must be ordered to destroy us. If Beast Boy doesn't stay a wolf, they'll just come down and attack us again."

Robin thought about that for a minute. "Ok, I have a plan. That city isn't too far away, so we should be able to reach it on foot. I'm guessing that's where Apollo's transportation will be. Beast Boy will stay a wolf until we reach the city, then he'll morph back and we'll make a run for it. Sound good?"

The friends nodded.

Raven raised her eyebrows. "So Beast Boy has to stay like this, unable to talk, until we get to the city? This day just keeps getting better."

Beast Boy growled while the others laughed for the first time in days.

The friends started out across the hills, the city in the distance slowly growing bigger. The birds followed them but never ventured close enough to pose as a threat. After an hour or so of hiking, Beast Boy's paws were aching and his tongue had rolled out of his mouth in a constant pant. It seemed like forever before a small sign reading "Denver" appeared in front of them.

"Alright team, this is it," Robin spoke up, glancing at the distant birds. "On the count of three we run for it. Keep your eyes open for the transportation."

"One." The friends stepped on the sidewalk as they passed a few lonely looking businesses. There wasn't a soul in sight except for the occasional car.

"Two." The building grew taller and people were more common. Cars honked as they noticed the green wolf.

"Three!" Beast Boy morphed into a human mid-step and the friends sprinted down the street, birds screeching behind them.

After a few blocks of running and avoiding their arrow-shooting followers, Raven finally spotted something helpful. "There!" On the side of a skyscraper was a large sign that said, "The Green Titan leaves at two o'clock from Denver Station!"

The friends exchanged excited glances before sprinting in the direction the sign instructed. In a matter of minutes, a train depot appeared in front of them, like it had be dropped from the heavens into the middle of the city. Maybe it had. The teens sprinted through the doors and Beast Boy heard a few satisfying thuds as a few of the birds crashed into the windows.

Almost immediately, a young woman came up to the friends, a bright smile on her face. She had light brown hair pulled tightly into a bun and could have been in her late twenties or early thirties.

"Are you the titans?" The woman asked sweetly. They all nodded eagerly. "Wonderful! Right this way please."

The women led the friends through the depot, which shined and gleamed like it had opened only yesterday. A few customers loitered here and there, but for the most part, the whole station was empty. After a few twists and turns, they arrived at a platform just as a train was pulling up.

"Here's your train," the woman said happily, motioning towards the locomotive. Beast Boy's mouth dropped open.

The train was enormous, with dozens of cars that stretched on for as far as the changeling could see. Smoke drifted from the front of the train as it came to a hissing stop. Across the side read the words "The Green Titan" in a flowing black script. Despite the fact that the train looked like it was straight out of a movie, that was not the source of Beast Boy's shock. It was that the entire train, front to back, was exactly Beast Boy's shade of green. This was obviously Apollo's transportation.

"Well we can see where Beast Boy got his sense of humor," Raven muttered as they boarded the train. The changeling shot her a glare which she ignored.

As a few of the friends went off to explore the train, Beast Boy stayed behind, looking out of the window at the platform. Just as the train began to pull out of the station, three very irritated looking birds landed on a trash can, blood red eyes staring at him through the glass. The changeling happily waved them goodbye.

_A/N : Woohoo! I'm so happy to have this chapter done with. :D I hope you all enjoyed it. Spring Break is a week away so then I'll have more time to write. Yay!_

_Anyway, until next time. Reviews are GREATLY appreciated._

_~Skye_


	9. Harsh Words

_A/N: Hey guys. This update is a late Easter present to those of you who celebrate it and a Monday present to those of you who don't! :D Enjoy._

**Chapter 9 : Harsh Words**

"So how long do you think it'll take us to get to the great lakes?" Beast Boy asked, flopping down on his small bed.

Cyborg shrugged as he inspected the closet. "Who knows? If it's a magic train we could be there in a couple of hours. But if not, it could take days."

The friends had been given three complimentary rooms aboard the Green Titan, along with as much food from the dining car as they could eat. Beast Boy was sharing a room with Cyborg, Robin was next door with Owen, and the girls were a few rooms down. The friends had given the train a thorough search, and had concluded that no monsters were aboard. For now, it seemed like all they could do was wait.

Beast Boy frowned. "Days? Do we have that much time? I mean, it sounds like this Spirit of Truth being kidnapped is a big deal. What if the gods stop bickering and start seriously fighting?"

"I dunno B. We're doing the best we can."

Beast Boy opened his mouth to reply when a knock sounded at the door. Cyborg glanced through the peep hole before pulling it open. Owen stood before them, his brown hair damp from a recent shower.

"Hey guys, you hungry? Robin wants us to meet in the dining car."

"Cyborg's _always _hungry," Beast Boy commented, stepping out into the hall. The metal titan scowled, shutting the door behind him with a thud.

The three friends walked to the end of their car, rocking slightly with the moving train. They crossed through a few sliding doors before arriving at the dining car. The car was long and thin with blue booths stretching down the right side. A small bar was to the left, stools wrapping around the counter. The bartender stood drying glasses and a few people were scattered about, but otherwise the area was empty except for Robin, Starfire, and Raven. The boys walked over and scooted onto the long benches.

"Friends!" Starfire began, her eyes shining. "Wonderful news! Raven believes that the train is going faster than it appears. It seems we might reach our destination earlier than planed."

Owen sighed. "Well that's a relief. We need to get to the lakes soon if we want to stop a war between the gods."

"But what do we do once we get to the lakes?" Cyborg questioned as he browsed the menu. "Whoever's doing this isn't going to just let us walk up and save the Spirit of Truth."

Owen nodded solemnly. "It's not going to be easy. I'm sure there's a lot of things guarding the biggest island. Monsters, spells…. We'll just have to be ready for anything."

"We can do anything we put our minds to," Robin said fiercely, pounding his fist into a gloved hand. "But, we could use all the practice we can get. I was thinking while we're on this train we could have some battle training…"

The titans all groaned in unison.

"What, the demon lady and evil birds weren't enough practice for you?" Beast Boy asked sarcastically.

"Yeah man, what we _need _is rest!" Cyborg agreed, his head hidden by the massive menu. "And food. Lots of food."

Robin glowered and opened his mouth to protest when a voice boomed from behind him. "Well, if it isn't the Teeny Titans!"

The friends whipped around to see a large man walking towards them. He was dressed in a black, leather biker outfit with matching sunglasses that reflected flickering red flames. Scars crisscrossed his face and he had a sharp buzz cut. A long sword was strapped to his side along with a variety of other weapons. He wore a smug smile as he came to stand beside the booth. Staring at him, Beast Boy felt rage building in his chest. He suddenly remembered every battle he'd fought, every wound he'd received. He saw the look on Lamia's face as she died, heard the way he'd snarled when the Beast had taken over. Every primitive instinct the changeling possessed bubbled to the service.

Owen's blue eyes widened. "L-lord Ares! W-what are you doing here?"

The god of war looked down at the satyr with disgust. "To clear my name of course. Zeus is all over me about kidnapping some spirit and sadly, you simpletons are the best shot I have to redeem myself."

Realization flickered in Robin's eyes. "Those were your birds that attacked us! You sent them to destroy us!"

Ares glowered at the Boy Wonder. "You better watch yourself, kid, and think before you speak. Why on earth would I send my guards after the squirts that are trying to reveal the truth about this whole mess?"

"Because you're the one who kidnapped the spirit! You'd obviously like a war between the gods and you just admitted that those were your birds!"

Ares placed a hand on his sword and leaned forward threateningly. "You're treading on thin ice, kid."

"Wait Lord Ares! If you didn't tell your birds to attack us, are you saying somebody else did?" Owen asked politely, trying to calm the situation.

"Of course not! Nobody else would be able to command them!"

"Then how did they get the orders to kill us?"

The god looked flustered. "Look, I don't know why the stupid birds attacked you. Maybe you looked tasty. Regardless, I didn't tell them to do nothing. And I did not kidnap a stupid spirit! If I wanted a war, I'd plan it out better than this, and I certainly wouldn't make myself look like the bad guy!"

"Dudes come on, he's obviously lying," Beast Boy retorted. "He's just trying to get us off guard."

Ares turned towards the changeling, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Well if it isn't the receiver of the prophecy! I've seem some pretty rough prophecies in my day, but I gotta say, yours is one of the worst. Mostly the line about your girl dying and all. Tough luck. Unfortunately, I don't know a whole lot about the future but I sure can make a helpful prediction," the god leaned in close and stage whispered into Beast Boy's ear. "Whatever happens to her is gonna be _All. Your. Fault_."

"Shut up!" Beast Boy's snarled as he leapt to his feet. The words echoed throughout the dining car, causing many passengers to look up in alarm. The green teen's heart pounded in his chest as his fingernails grew a few inches longer, his fangs elongated, and he slowly grew taller. The changeling took a step towards Ares, his teeth clenched in fury. Something flickered across the god's face. Not fear, but something close. Uncertainty.

"Call off your mutt before I lose my temper!" Ares growled.

"BB," Cyborg said softly, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. The teen instantly relaxed, all the rage draining from his face to be replaced by a deep sadness. There was a long silence, everyone staring at Beast Boy, waiting to see what he'd do next.

"I'm… I'm not hungry anymore. I'm going to bed," the changeling turned around, carefully avoiding eye contact with his friends. He walked quickly to the end of the car and disappeared through the sliding glass door.

"That one's a ticking time bomb," Ares stated smugly.

Starfire glared at the god, her eyes glowing a dangerous green. "How dare you say those things to our friend! Why you're a… you're a… a clorbag valblernelk!"

The war god chuckled, waving her off. "Don't get your star bolts in a knot, cupcake. I was doing him a favor."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "By saying his true love was going to die? Yeah, that seems very helpful."

Robin shook his head angrily. "They're right Ares. I think you should go."

The flames in Ares' sunglasses flared and Owen elbowed Robin in the ribs. "Don't be rude! He's still a god!"

The war god snorted in disgust. "I can see you all don't appreciate a good ally. Fine, I'll leave. But you better hear what I'm about to say. If I get blamed for kidnapping this spirit, the Teen Titans will have a lot more to worry about than a couple puny birds. I don't make a good enemy," with that the god turned and stormed from the dining car.

Robin let out a sigh of relief. "Glad that's over. Do you think he was telling the truth?"

Owen shrugged, chewing nervously on a napkin. "I don't know. Ares isn't the most pleasant god, but I don't think he'd come here just to lie to us. But right now I think we have something else to worry about."

The group exchanged worried looks, all thinking about their green comrade.

* * *

Beast Boy fumbled with the key to his room, his hands shaking from leftover rage. How could he have been so stupid? Why did he let Ares get him so angry? With a sigh, the changeling finally got the door open. He walked across the room, collapsing on his bed with exhaustion. Now the other titans would be even more worried about him. Beast Boy briefly wondered if they had a reason to be.

The door opened again and Beast Boy was glad he was facing away from it. He didn't know if he could put on a fake smile at the moment. The changeling heard Cyborg sit down on the other bed, and he could almost feel the half-robot's stare on his back.

"Beast Boy? You alright, man?"

"What? Yeah, of course. Just tired," Beast Boy winced at the way his voice sounded.

The green teen waited for his friend to say something else but there was only silence. Relieved, Beast Boy let his eyes fall closed. Just as he was beginning to doze off, Cyborg spoke up again.

"B… I was wondering… _we_ were wondering… if the Beast… well we were wondering if it almost got out again," Cyborg spoke softly, like he was afraid Beast Boy would turn around and rip him to shreds.

"What? Of course not! I'm fine. You gave me an antidote, remember? Something about being around Ares just got me worked up."

"Yeah… same here."

Beast Boy heard relief in his friend's voice and after a few minutes, Cyborg's snore filled the room. Closing his eyes, the changeling was glad his lying skills had improved.

* * *

Beast Boy's dream started out in a familiar place. He was on the small island he'd seen in his first dream, where a hunched figure had been chained to the rocks. Glancing around, the changeling saw no sign of anyone, only dense foliage on either side of him. What kind of dream was this?

"Beast Boy," a soft voice called from behind him, and the green teen whipped around with a gasp.

A beautiful woman _floated_ in front of the titan, her entire body outlined with a light blue tint. She was slightly transparent, but when Beast Boy tried to look through her, the background was blurry. The woman wore a long flowing dress that stopped just short of her bare feet. Her silver hair fell down to her waist and sharp blue eyes stared out from a flawless face. She appeared young, but the changeling sensed an agelessness about her.

"W-who are you?" Beast Boy stuttered.

"My name is Alathea, the Spirit of Truth," the woman proclaimed, her voice sounding like a dozen wind chimes.

Beast Boy's mouth fell open. "No way! How are you contacting me? Did you escape? Who kidnapped you? Where are you? How..?"

Alathea chuckled. "Hush, child. I will answer all of your questions. But for now, sit. We have much to discuss and very little time."

Beast Boy moved to sit on a log, stumbling on the unfamiliar terrain. Alathea reached her hand out to steady him, but her fingers slipped through his shoulder. The changeling felt cold where her hand had passed through him and he shuddered involuntarily.

"Forgive me," the spirit apologized. "I have been trapped in my human form for so long that I've forgotten my spirit limitations.

Beast Boy was officially confused. "Trapped?"

"Yes. But perhaps we should start from the beginning. Ask me anything Beast Boy. As the Spirit of Truth, I swear to answer honestly and to the best of my ability."

The green titan thought for a moment, sorting through the many questions swirling in his head. "Who kidnapped you?"

Alathea looked disappointed. "I'm afraid you've asked one of the few questions I cannot answer. You see, my captor is a very powerful being. I cannot say certain things or the link we are currently sharing will be immediately broken. I was lucky to steal these few minutes with you."

"Ok… well could you tell me _why_ you were kidnapped?"

"I believe so. You see my captor has been planning for quite some time a massive takeover, the destruction of Olympus. He or she wishes to be in control of the gods, their slave master if you will. I stumbled across this information and immediately went to share it with the gods. Unfortunately, I was intercepted and captured. I regret to say that my intervention has actually made my captor's goal easier. All he or she has to do now is sit back and watch as the gods tear each other apart."

"You said something about being stuck in your human form. What did you mean by that?"

"Like most gods, I have the ability to transform into mortal form when I wish. It was unfortunate that my captor was able to capture me in that form. Otherwise I would have easily been able to escape. The way I am now being held, I am unable to change back."

Beast Boy's brow scrunched up as he tried to absorb all this information. "You sure do look like a spirit now."

Alathea smiled. "You forget that this is a dream."

The green titans paused again. "From what you've told me, your captor sounds like someone who's not on Mount Olympus. Are you saying you weren't taken by a god?"

"I didn't say that. But, please, don't ask me more on the subject. We are pressing our luck already," the spirit warned seriously.

The changeling opened his mouth to reply when a massive quake shook the ground causing the floating spirit to blur in front of him. After a few shaking moments, the dream stabilized.

"Dude! What was that?"

"My captor is becoming suspicious. We don't have much time. Quickly, what other questions do you have?"

Beast Boy thought about everything he could ask. He thought about all the questions that could help their quest. All the questions that could stop a war between the gods. But among all those questions, there was only one the green teen truly cared about. Only one that he was dying to know the answer to.

"Just ask," Alathea spoke softly, giving the changeling a knowing look.

"You have to tell the truth right?"

"Yes."

"Well, most of the gods I've met seem to know a lot about the future. So I was wondering…"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if maybe you know about it too."

"I have insight about what is to come, yes."

Beast Boy's eyes lit up with hope. He started to ask his question but stopped when the spirit held up her hand. She gave him a look so full of sadness and pity, he felt like his heart was breaking in two.

"I know what you will ask Beast Boy. You wish to know about the end of your prophecy. Please, do not ask me that. I too must follow the rules of the gods in that I cannot reveal the future. I can only give you a vague answer that will only torture you further. Just know that not everything is always as it seems. Continue with your quest and trust in yourself and your friends."

The dream shuddered again, this time with more intensity. Alathea blurred until she was no more than a floating blue outline against the trees.

"You must go Beast Boy. I'll try to contact you again soon. Goodbye and good luck," the spirit disappeared, leaving the green titan alone on the shaking island.

"No, wait! Alathea!" Beast Boy crashed frantically through the undergrowth until the shuddering earth sent him crashing to the ground. He lay there, his body numb, until the darkness consumed him.

* * *

"Beast Boy! Wake up, man! Wake up!" Cyborg's frantic voice snapped the changeling from his slumber. The half-robot was leaning over him, roughly shaking the green teen's shoulder.

"W-what's going on?" Beast Boy's mind struggled to function. In the back of his head he noticed the train had stopped and he heard a distant banging sound at the opposite end of the locomotive.

"We have to go, _now_! The train's being attacked."

_A/N: Dun dun DUN! Don't you loooove cliffhangers? XD Anyway, time to talk about some stuff._

_From reading the comments, I can see that my parent choices for the Titans don't please everyone. I'd like you all to know that I DO have a reason for choosing the gods I did. I'm sorry if you think their parents should be different, but I did my best to choose the gods I thought best fit the titans and my story. _

_Also, it was brought to my attention by a certain friend of mine (*cough*Autumnchronicles*cough*) that there hasn't been a whole lot of romance in this story so far. Have no fear, my friends. IT IS COMING._

_That is all. I'll give you a cyber cookie if you review. :D_

_~Skye_


	10. A Dark Spirit

_A/N : Hello readers! So, this chapter has been taking me FOREVER to write. That's because it's slowly been getting a lot longer than I expected. SO, I decided to divide it into two sections. That way you people get an update and I don't feel like I have to rush to finish the last half of it. The second part should be up in less than a week. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 10 : A Dark Spirit**

Beast Boy felt like his life had fallen into an awful, repeating pattern. His nights were spent in life-like nightmares while his days were consumed by surreal monster attacks. The changeling was growing kind of tired of it.

Cyborg and Beast Boy sprinted into the hallway on high alert. Robin, Starfire, and Owen were waiting, their eyes panicked. At the end of the train there was a loud banging that shook the train with every hit. A loud wail accompanied it, sending shivers down the green teen's spine. The sound wasn't human.

"What's going on?" Beast Boy asked as he wiped sleep from his eyes.

"Something's attacking and almost the whole train is shut down," Owen replied uneasily. The changeling noticed for the first time how dark the hallway was.

"Ok… well where's Raven?"

Starfire's large eyes were clouded with worry. "We do not know! When I awoke she was not in our room!"

"_What?_" Beast Boy exclaimed just as another tremor shook their car. "Then what are we standing around for?"

"We don't know what kind of monster we're dealing with here," Robin stated calmly. "When we got on the train, Raven found magical protections all over the place. If whatever is attacking is breaking through those shields, then it's bad news."

"Who _cares_! If Raven's in trouble we have to do something!" With that the changeling morphed into a cheetah and took off down the train. Robin called out for him to stop but Beast Boy didn't hesitate. The sliding door barely had time to open before the green cat leapt through them.

The rest of the titans and Owen took off after their friend. Robin huffed with irritation but, after a moment, he too dashed through the doors.

Beast Boy's paws pounded on the floor as he sprinted through car after car. The closer he got to the crashing sound, the more the train shook. At one point the green titan stumbled, crashing into the side of the car. By the time Beast Boy got to his feet, his friends were running just behind him. It seemed like the train would stretch on forever but at last they reached the source of the attack.

The team burst into a storage car, panting from their run. Boxes were scattered throughout the car, each one covered in its own personal layer of dust. Two large windows stretched across the left side of the car while the right side was a blank grey wall. But all of this seemed inconsequential compared to what was hovering just outside the grimy glass.

Beast Boy slid to a stop, his emerald eyes widening as he shifted back to human form. "Dude."

Outside the window was probably the strangest thing Beast Boy had seen since he'd discovered he was a half-blood. And that was saying a lot. A giant wall of black fog floated outside the frozen train, blocking out most of the light that would normally be seeping into the car. Moonlight flickered through the smoke in patches. In the center of the darkest mass of smog rose a monster from the waist up. The creature's face resembled grey slate with two black pits for eyes. Its teeth were razor sharp, lined up row after row like a shark's. Four misty arms stuck out from the monster's torso with knifelike claws for fingers. Still, besides the solid appearance, the creature still seemed to waver and move with the fog.

The monster's talons raked at the windows in an obvious attempt to break the glass, making a sound like nails on a chalkboard. The magical shields were the only thing stopping the creature from breaking into the train. The thing let out a long, animal-like scream as another attack from its claws shook the car.

Attached to the windows were two large locks that let off a strange aura, a lot like the golden apple that was hidden back in Beast Boy's room. They appeared to be the source of the protections for this part of the train. Familiar, black magic was wrapped around the locks, although it was unclear whether it was trying to protect or open them.

And standing directly in front of the monster, was Raven.

"Raven!" Beast Boy yelled, as the creature continued to rock the car. Boxes fell as the whole train tilted, but the empath didn't react in any way. Her eyes glowed a fierce white and the changeling's sharp ears heard her chanting under her breath.

"What is that thing?" Cyborg yelled, as the team tried to walk towards their friend.

Owen forehead was scrunched in concentration. "I know this monster… I know it…"

A terrible whining sound filled the car, like something was about to explode. The friends covered their ears and fell to their knees as the screech slowly grew higher in pitched. Raven extended her hand towards the locks, white sparks dancing around the metal. The creature began pounding on the train with renewed vigor.

Beast Boy struggled to his feet, grimacing against the sound despite his gloved hands clamped tightly over his ears. He moved slowly in Raven's direction, moving one steady step at a time. The changeling was feet away from the dark titan when the whine reached its climax. The green teen felt like his head was going to implode. Using all the focus he could muster, Beast Boy leaped the remaining distance between himself and Raven. He smashed hard into her side, and they crashed to the floor just as the windows and locks exploded.

Glass shattered inward, and the friends dove behind stacks of boxes to avoid being impaled by the flying shards. Beast Boy covered his head with his hands as pieces of the window fell around him, sounding like wind chimes as they struck the ground. He looked over at Raven and saw that she had created a small, weak shield to protect them from the glass.

Black fog began to seep through the windows as the last of the shards settled to the floor. The monster clutched either side of the broken window, pulling itself through the opening. Its stone-like face erupted in a toothy grin, having at last broken through the barriers. Beast Boy swallowed hard, yanking Raven behind a tower of boxes and out of the creature's line of sight.

"Dude, what the heck were you doing?" Beast Boy whispered, looking over to see that Owen and the other titans were alright. They appeared startled but were otherwise uninjured.

"I… I don't…" Raven eyes were unfocused like she was coming out of a trance. For once, the calm titan was unsettled.

"And why were you trying to open those locks? That thing's going to kill us!"

"I… I wasn't! I was trying to stop it from breaking in!" The empath was starting to sound more like her normal self, but she still seemed to be struggling with something.

"Well why didn't you come and get us?"

Before Raven could answer, there was a noisy crash as the monster knocked over a large stack of boxes with one of its four arms. Beast Boy peaked out from behind their hiding place, watching as the creature searched for them in the rubble. Behind the thing's back, Owen and the rest of the titans snuck quietly over to Raven and Beast Boy. They ducked down quickly, crawling farther away from the monstrosity.

The empath opened her mouth to speak, but Robin waved away her explanation. "We'll talk about it later. Right now we need to worry about defeating that… _thing._"

The friends all turned their heads towards Owen. He chewed on his shirt nervously.

"I think I know what it is but… if I'm right, we're in deep trouble."

The titans exchanged worried glances before looking back at the satyr. Robin nodded. "Go on."

"I'm pretty sure it's called Mormo. He's a spirit who was said to bite children when they were bad. I almost forgot about him. I haven't seen him manifested in oh… at least fifty years."

"_Fifty years?_" Beast Boy's voice grew dangerously high, earning him harsh shushes from his friends.

Owen shrugged. "Satyrs age differently."

Before the changeling could reply, Robin cut him off. "Alright, alright, back to this spirit. Does it have any weaknesses? Can you tell us anything else about it?"

"Uhh… he was a companion of Hecate, the goddess of magic?" Owen offered.

"Anything _useful_?" Raven asked bluntly.

The satyr shrugged helplessly.

The word spirit had suddenly stirred up a memory in Beast Boy's head. He thought back to his most recent dream about Alathea, when the green teen had stumbled on the island. The spirit's hand had gone right through him. A sick feeling began to form in the pit of the changeling's stomach.

"Um, dudes? If this thing is a spirit, doesn't that mean we'll just go right through him?"

Owen's blue eyes quivered with fear. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"Hold up," Cyborg spoke up. "If we can't attack it, then how can it attack us?"

"Some spirits are able to make parts of themselves solid at will. So it could make its claws solid while attacking us, but then if we tried to retaliate, it could make itself translucent," Owen explained quietly.

"It's like the ghost in Ghoulish Ghosts 5!" Beast Boy exclaimed, his voice panicked. He grabbed Cyborg's arm and shook it frantically. "It floated around this abandoned mansion, picking off the main characters one by one but they weren't able to fight back because it would disappear and then there was only the poor handsome hero left and he tried to save his friends but he couldn't and then…!"

"Beast Boy!" The titans all hissed at once, trying to silence their friend's increasingly loud voice. But they were too late.

A clawed hand raked through the boxes above them, sending the packages flying in various directions. The teens dove out of the way as Mormo drifted over the smashed boxes, smiling slightly as he caught sight of the friends. The black smoke cascaded over everything in its path, consuming the room in its inky clutches.

Robin stood quickly, his celestial bronze bo-staff extended towards the creature. The rest of the team rose warily, their bodies tensed for an attack.

"Who sent you?" The Boy Wonder demanded. "Why are you after us?"

Mormo chuckled. The sound was a strange combination of human and animal.

"I do not answer to you, _boy_!" The monster spat the word like it was an insult. He had an odd voice. It was obviously male but echoed with a shrillness that hurt Beast Boy's ears. "The reason for your destruction does not matter. The fact remains that you will die."

Mormo lunged towards Robin, his many fangs gleaming in a rare patch of moonlight. The leader rolled out of the way and the spirit's teeth snapped shut where he'd been standing a moment before. Then, the battle erupted.

Starfire flew up as high as the ceiling would allow, her hands wrapped in green energy. With a cry, the alien flung dozens of starbolts down at the creature. They passed harmlessly through the spirit to smash into miniature explosions against the far wall. Meanwhile, Cyborg took the classic approach. The half-robot threw punch after punch at Mormo, but each attack went through the spirit's face like it was made of air. The spirit grinned, two of his arms suddenly solidifying. The black limbs swung towards Cyborg, smashing into his chest and sending him flying towards the side of the car. He hit the wall hard and sank slowly to the ground.

Owen and Robin fought the monster side by side, the satyr wielding his favorite sword and the Boy Wonder swinging his bo-staff with deadly accuracy. But no matter how hard they tried, Owen's sword sliced uselessly through Mormo's torso while the creature's sharp claws sent Robin's staff skittering across the floor. The two friends had to duck out of the way as the monster took another snap at them.

Behind Mormo's back, Raven emerged from the floor, attempting to catch the monster by surprise. Her eyes were aglow and the empath lifted her cloak to reveal a large, black portal. A giant, green rhino burst from the darkness, barreling straight towards the spirit. Mormo turned, his eyes narrowing. As Beast Boy was about to strike, his celestial bronze horn glistening, the creature dispersed. The changeling ran straight through him, unable to stop himself from crashing into a pile of luggage. The green teen shifted back to human form with a moan.

Cyborg attacked again, this time using his sonic cannon. It was no use. The blasts didn't even faze the monster. Raven chanted her mantra nearby, using her powers to send boxes and arrows flying. Robin threw his bird-a-rangs, but like everything else, they were useless. Mormo laughed at their feeble attacks, the strange sound echoing throughout the train.

Starfire flew up behind the creature, her knives poised for an assault. But the titan had underestimated Mormo's speed. The spirit whipped around, grabbing the alien's leg in all four of his clawed hands. Starfire screamed in pain as the monster squeezed, digging in with its talons. After a moment, the creature released her, and the injured alien fell like a rock.

Robin rolled across the floor, catching his girlfriend just before she hit the ground. Raven and Cyborg moved in front of their friends like curtains, distracting the spirit while Owen and Beast Boy helped Starfire to the other side of the car. Once they were safely hidden among the many boxes, Raven opened a portal, teleporting herself and Cyborg over to their friends. Mormo shrieked in rage at having to continue his search down the long train car.

"Starfire, are you alright?" Robin whispered worriedly, helping the alien into sitting position.

"I.. am fine," Starfire mumbled through clenched teeth. Her face was tight with pain.

"We can't keep fighting like this," Owen said as Raven started to heal Starfire's leg. "Eventually it's going to beat us."

"Well how are we suppose to fight something we can't touch?" Cyborg complained.

Raven looked thoughtful as her hands lit up with their blue healing magic. "The only time it's solid is when it's using its claws or trying to take a bite out of us."

"If we could attack while it was snapping at us, we might be able to do some damage," Owen agreed slowly.

Robin shook his head. "It would go spirit on us the second we tried. The only way that would work is if Mormo actually succeeded in biting someone or if he swallowed them and they attacked from the inside. Even if he turned intangible, they'd just change with him. But that's impossible. You'd have to be the size of a…"

"A mouse?" Beast Boy offered in a strange voice. He could see where this was going.

The titans exchanged knowing looks while Owen stared at them with a confused expression.

"What, what is it?"

Robin ignored the satyr and shook his head at Beast Boy. "No, it's too dangerous. We'll think of something else."

"Yeah man, you'll get yourself killed!" Cyborg exclaimed quietly.

"We don't have any other options," Beast Boy said in a resigned voice, getting to his knees.

"There's always another option," Raven spoke up in her monotone voice.

"Not this time," without waiting for a reply, the changeling leapt out from their hiding place, running towards the monster.

"What is going on?" Owen asked again. Nobody seemed to hear him.

"Beast Boy, wait!" Robin hissed, but it was too late.

The green teen stepped out from behind a stack of boxes, immediately getting Mormo's attention. The spirit's black eyes narrowed as they focused on the small shape shifter.

"Hey, ugly! Bet you can't get me!" Beast Boy called tauntingly, sticking his tongue out at the monster. Mormo growled menacingly, making his way towards the changeling.

"Dude, I've seen some pretty cheesy spirits, but you definitely take the cake. Where'd you get those fangs, Monsters-R-Us?" Beast Boy questioned, laughing at his own joke. Mormo screeched in fury before lunging at the titan, his mouth wide.

A split second before the spirit's gaping maw reached him, Beast Boy morphed into a green field mouse. Owen and the other titans could only watch in horror as Mormo's mouth closed shut over the small rodent. The changeling stiffened as he felt rows of teeth graze his back. What if he wasn't swallowed whole?

Mormo licked his lips, grinning wickedly over at the friends. Owen looked like he was going to pass out as they watched a large lump work its way down the spirit's long neck. Starfire had tears streaking down her face while Raven and Cyborg had murderous glares in their eyes. Robin merely stood like a statue in shock.

Mormo drifted slowly towards the frozen friends, a victorious expression on his grey face. This was it. They had lost.

When the monster had almost reached the team, a surprised look crossed its face. Mormo looked down at his stomach, his eyes widening in a mixture of fear and disbelief. The spirit's torso was slowly expanding. It looked like a black cloud, billowing outwards. Mormo used his fours arms to tear at his stomach, making a desperate attempt to save himself. But it was no use. The spirit kept growing and growing until at last, as the dark fog was just beginning to brush the ceiling, the monster exploded. Sand rained down around the car and the titans could only stare in relief. Mormo was no more.

And sitting in the middle of a large sand dune was a startled, but thankfully uninjured, green hippo. Beast Boy shifted back to human form, spitting monster dust out of his mouth.

"I am _never_ doing that again."

_A/N : Yay! See, at least it's not a cliffhanger! Haha, well no worries, the next chapter will be up soon. I mean it, no two month wait this time._

_So, before you go, there's a few questions from my reviews that I'd like to address(just in case some of you have similar questions). _

_1.)In case I wasn't clear, this story takes place after EVERY Teen Titan episode. That includes Tokyo. BUT, it also takes place BEFORE the Percy Jackson books. It's kind of this alternate reality going on in my head. XD I made it this way mainly so Rachel wouldn't be the oracle yet, and also so I wouldn't interfere with the TT plots or what happens in the PJ&O books. :D __2.) Many of you have probably read the summary and so you know the romantic relationships that are going to go down in this story. For those of you who like Terra, I'm sorry. I'm just not able to make myself like her after the way she treated Beast Boy. Still, I hope you'll continue reading, if only to find out what happens with the quest. =P __3.) In my poll I have Demeter and Hera as guesses for who kidnapped the Spirit of Truth. This is because in the third chapter Hermes told the Titans that evidence was found against them as well as Ares(even though we don't know what the evidence is). I hope that clears that up. ;)_

_If anybody else has questions about what's going on in the story or you just want to talk about anything under the sun, feel free to send me a PM or ask in your review. You can also check my profile for my deviant art username if you want to contact me on there._

_Well, that's about it. Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing! They are seriously the only thing that keeps me going sometimes. ;D_

_~Skye_


	11. A Prank or Two

_A/N: So I've decided that I'm never going to promise updates within a certain amount of time ever again. Because as soon as I posted the last chapter, POOF, my muse vanished. XD Plus things in life happen that I can't control. So just be happy in knowing that I WILL NOT stop writing this story, even if I'm a horrible, horrible updater. =P_

**Chapter 11: A Prank or Two**

After a long walk down the train, Robin and Owen eased Starfire onto her bed. Her leg was looking a lot better thanks to Raven, but she still needed some rest before it could heal completely. The rest of the titans stood around the room, waiting for Robin to decide what their next move should be.

"Alright team," Robin began, turning to address his friends. "We need to get this train moving. If Mormo wasn't the one who stopped it, we might have another monster on our hands. Owen, you stay here with Starfire. If anything happens, call us immediately."

Robin pressed an official titan communicator into the satyr's hand. Owen nodded, clutching the device.

The rest of the titans filed out of the room, making their way quickly down the hall. The few cars they went through were abandoned, with no sign of the passengers they had seen earlier. The train creaked slightly as they walked and the lights flickered on and off. The friends tip-toed quietly from car to car, the eerie quiet giving Beast Boy chills. The final sliding door led to an open cart full of chunks of coal. Moonlight peaked from behind the clouds as the friends climbed across the pile. At last the group came to the front of the locomotive. Instead of a sliding door, a large metal plate covered the opening. Beast Boy grasped the handle in his gloved hand and gave it a large tug. The door didn't budge.

"Great, it's locked. Now what are we gonna…" the changeling was cut off as the door's hinges wrapped in familiar black energy. The screws twisted out of the brackets before falling quietly to the floor. With nothing to hold it up, the door fell forward into the room beyond with a thunderous crash. Raven stepped back, her glowing hands returning to normal.

"Oh," Beast Boy squeaked, peaking into the gaping doorway. "So who wants to go into the dark, creepy, possibly monster filled room first?"

Cyborg took the lead, his shoulder light casting beams into the engine room. Beast Boy gulped before following his robot friend into the unknown. The room was small with dark, dirty windows surrounding three sides. Various knobs and levers filled the room, making the space somewhat cramped. The green titan reached for an interesting pulley that fell from the low ceiling, but a sharp glare from Raven sent his arm quickly back to his side. Aside from Cyborg's pop-out flashlight and slivers of moonlight from the crusty windows, the only source of light in the room came from a small oven-like opening that was supposedly the train's engine. Red and orange shown faintly from the hole, where hot coals shimmered with heat. Other than that, the room was empty.

The bareness of the room seemed anti-climatic. Beast Boy glanced around the room with a chuckle. "So, does anyone know how to conduct a train?"

Robin ignored him, stepping around the green teen. His brow furrowed in confusion as he moved to stand beside the engine. The Boy Wonder's features looked stark in the light of the dismal fire.

"I don't get it. _Someone_ should be here. A train conductor, a monster…" the leader's voice faded out and the room lapsed into a momentary silence.

"I dunno man," Cyborg spoke up. The half-robot was fumbling with some controls, using a cable from his arm to investigate the unfamiliar technology. "This is a magic train after all. Maybe it just runs itself."

Raven shook her head. "Then why would there be a room like this in the first place?"

Beast Boy opened his mouth to make another joke when Cyborg's shoulder light suddenly flickered off and the room was plunged into darkness. The screeching sound of a scared animal filled the space and the engine's dim fire did nothing to reveal the source of various shouts and shuffling noises. After a few moments of blackness, Cyborg's light returned, although dimmer than before. Raven's cloak was trapped against a wall by the end of Robin's bo-staff while Cyborg had the Boy Wonder by the shirt a few feet off the ground. The half-robot's other arm was pinned to his side with dark energy. Meanwhile, Beast Boy, in the form of a small green monkey, was wrapped around Cyborg's head, shrieking like a banshee.

The friends released each other immediately, except for the changeling, who clung to his friend's cranium like his life depended on it. Cyborg yanked at the green primate, finally managing to release his hold on the half-robot's head. He dropped Beast Boy on the ground, where the shape shifter landed with a thud before returning to human form. The friends exchanged worried looks before they all started talking at once.

"Did you see…?"

"I thought I heard…"

"In the shadows…"

"Dude, something on my foot…"

Robin pulled two bird-a-rangs from his belt, turning to face the shadows that surrounded the room. "Be on your guard. We're not alone."

Cyborg's light no longer reached into the corners of the room, and the friends could barely see farther than a few feet in front of them. A disconcerting silence filled the space. Beast Boy swallowed hard, morphing into a hound dog to sniff the air.

A rustle from nearby shattered the stillness. Robin's bird-a-rang flew from his grasp, slicing easily through a pipe to lodge itself in the wall beyond. A few wisps of steam seeped from the broken pipe, but there was no movement in that area. Only seconds later, another swish sounded from the other side of the room. Robin reached for another weapon, only to find that his bird-a-rangs were gone. A quick check proved that his bo-staff was also missing.

"What the..?"

A sinister chuckle echoed around the room and the titans whipped around, frantically searching for its source.

"B, if you're playing a joke on us, I swear I'll kick your green butt all the way to next week," Cyborg glared at his best friend threateningly.

Beast Boy held up his gloved hands in denial just as a figure dashed in front of the glowing engine. The changeling let out a screech. Cyborg whirled, his sonic cannon ready. Just as the half-robot was preparing to fire, his cannon made a sizzling sound and powered down, turning back into a hand.

"I don't understand, all my systems are fine…"

There was another loud cackle just to Beast Boy's left. The changeling morphed into a lion, the massive cat filling the confined space. The green feline bit into the shadows but nothing was there.

Raven hands began to glow as she started her mantra.

"Azarath metrion zin…" the hood of the Raven's cloak flipped up over her head, cutting off her words and yanking her backwards. The empath fell against a wall, barely able to stop herself from crashing to the ground.

Robin glared into the darkness, obviously annoyed by the enemy he couldn't see. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Whatever lurked in the car laughed again. The sound seemed to come from everywhere at once. Robin reached for a bird-a-rang again, only to remember he was weaponless.

"Looking for this?" a menacing voice called from nearby just as one of the Boy Wonder's weapons came flying out of the gloom. Robin barely had time to step out of the way. The bird-a-rang left a long cut on the leader's cheek before soaring through the open doorway.

Beast Boy, back in human form, looked around nervously.

"Maybe we should…" whatever the changeling was about to say was cut off by a scream as the green titan was grabbed from behind. Cyborg reached towards his friend, but the half-robot was too slow. Beast Boy was dragged back between two machines and into the darkness.

Raven made a move to follow, but Robin held up a hand. "Wait."

The friends paused, listening intently. Suddenly a familiar scream filled the air above them. They all stepped back as Beast Boy fell from above, smashing to the ground. The changeling sat up with wide, frightened eyes, but seemed otherwise uninjured.

"Enough of this," Raven said, her monotone voice full of malice. The empath's eyes began to glow, her hands extended towards the shadows. Everything in the room was quickly consumed by dark energy, from the machines and levers, to whatever monster was lurking in the gloom . A frightened screech came the farthest corner of the room as Raven used her powers to drag the creature from its hiding place. Suddenly, the monster came into view, and the empath made it hover upside down in front of the friends, a sliver of dark magic wrapped around its ankles. The titans stared at the being in shock.

The creature was tiny. He was so short in fact, that if he had been standing on the ground, he would have only come up to Beast Boy's knees. He had a knobby bald head, with giant pointed ears and a long crooked nose. His eyes were a bright yellow and they glimmered mischievously in the light of the dim fire. The monster wore a small blue suit with a matching tie that contrasted strangely with his grey skin. Every inch of the monster looked covered in dirt, from the top of his head down to his large, bare, hairy feet.

The creature gave the titans a tight smile, his teeth oddly white and clean compared to the rest of him.

"Hello, friends! Come here often?" The impish monster struggled feebly against Raven's magic. His voice was squeaky, and a lot less frightening then the deep voice the friends had heard earlier.

Beast Boy peaked from behind Cyborg. "Um dudes, what is _that_?"

The creature narrowed his eyes, obviously offended. "I'm a Kobalo of course! But I suppose you can call me Sid."

"A monster named Sid?" Beast Boy asked in disbelief.

"Why are you here?" Robin questioned, steering the conversation back on course. "And what exactly is a Kobalo?"

"I'm not telling you anything until your mean witch friend puts me down!" Sid whined, glaring over at Raven and crossing his small arms over his chest.

Robin watched the Kobalo suspiciously for a moment before nodding in the empath's direction. "Alright, but no funny business."

Raven's magic disappeared from the monster's ankles, and Sid fell to the floor. The Kobalo rose slowly to his feet, mumbling under his breath about stupid half-bloods.

"Ok, I'll ask you again. Who and _what_ are you?"

"What kind of demigods are you? Never heard of a Kobalo! I mean really!" The small creature half-muttered to himself, casually picking lint off of his dirt covered suit.

Beast Boy morphed into a wolf and took a menacing step in the Kobalo's direction. Sid held up his tiny hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright, I'll talk! Geez! Kobalos are basically the tricksters of the monster world and companions of Dionysus. We've been compared to gnomes, dwarves, elves, blah blah blah! Are we done with the interrogation now? I've got places to be, people to prank!"

Robin's eyes narrowed. "No, we're _not _done. Who sent you to stop the train and why are they trying to mess up our quest?"

Sid grinned innocently. "Do you want to know who _sent_ me to stop the train or who _told _the person who sent me to stop the train to send me to stop the train?"

Beast Boy rubbed his forehead. "Am I the only one who has no idea what he just said?"

Robin grabbed the front of the Kobalo's suit. "Stop trying to confuse us!"

Sid glared and yanked at the leader's hand. "Look, I don't know why my boss wants to kill you! My job was to stop the train. That's it. Mormo was suppose to take care of you punks. Guess _that_ didn't work out as planned."

"And who's your boss?" Raven asked.

The monster sneered. "Yeah, like I'm gonna tell you that."

Cyborg sighed. "I don't see how we're gonna get the info we need out of him anytime soon. And we need to get this train moving or every monster in the area is going to find us."

Robin nodded before looking back at Sid. "Do you know how to conduct a train?"

The Kobalo stared at him warily. "Maybe."

"Then you're getting us out of here."

"I most certainly am not! I may be a monster but I'd never turn my back on my…" Sid's eyes widened as he pointed a hairy finger towards the doorway.

"Mormo's back!" The Kobalo screeched. The titans whipped around, preparing themselves for another attack. But the back of the car was empty. The friends turned back around to find Sid breaking off a large, important looking lever that was sticking out of the floor. The monster grinned wickedly as he waved the useless piece of wood in the air.

"Oops."

"Get him!" Robin practically snarled, lunging towards the Kobalo. Just before the Boy Wonder reached him, the monster jumped nimbly out of the way.

"Sorry I can't stay longer friends!" Sid cackled as he broke a pipe with the destroyed lever. Cyborg reached for the creature, but the monster easily avoided him.

"But I really must be going!" the Kobalo spoke in an almost sincere apologetic tone as he broke a few more levers and knobs. The titans struggled to catch him in the small space as he pranced spryly around the room.

"Ta ta for now!" Sid called as Beast Boy, in the form of a tiger, pounced at the creature in a final attempt to stop him. But it was to no avail. When the monster was inches from the changeling's claws, his ear twitched slightly and then he was gone. Vanished into thin air.

Beast Boy got slowly to his feet, as the friends looked around at each other in confusion. After a few moments of silence, the changeling spoke up.

"Uh… so did we win?"

_A/N: I'm not completely happy with this chapter, but I think it turned out alright for the most part. Maybe it's just cause I was thinking the train would be over and done with in two chapters and it's turning into four, possibly five. XD Annnyyyway…_

_A new poll is up, so definitely go check that out… and uh… review. Yeah. :D I like hearing from ya'll._

_~Sky_


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